Bennett-Salvatore
by domibennett
Summary: Formerly Resentment - Bonnie & Damon in marriage counseling.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Yes, lovelies. If you've ever read Resentment, this is just me deciding to actually finish it now that I have time and I am in the correct frame of mind. I have a great chunk of it finished and written but bear with me and I will update every Friday.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these characters.

* * *

'Marriage counseling?' He scoffed 'Really?'

 ** _Damon Salvatore_** was not the type of man, mortal or immortal, to discuss his feelings and he sure as hell didn't feel comfortable discussing his significant other with a stranger. For Christ's sake, it was Friday. He could think of a plethora of things he could doing; He should be at a bar drinking bourbon, or some other hard, brown liquor, with his brother and best friend while some red-headed waitress with a southern drawl flirted shamelessly, and pointlessly, but - here he was.

And honestly, who did she think he was? Saint Stefan?

He watched the petite woman apply a thin coat of dark, red lipstick, not even bothering to acknowledge his presence nor the rant that he'd been on for the past thirty minutes. It was infuriating, maddening, watching her small, delicate hands brush the stray pieces of hair from her shoulders and into a chignon at the base of her beautiful neck with such ease as if his words didn't even faze her.

Her coolness left him conflicted and he wanted nothing more than to throw her over his shoulder like the savage that he was and pick up where they left off no more than two hours before.

But that's what she did to him.

If he had to compare his wife to something, anything, it would be Kryptonite. She could make the strongest man in the world turn to putty in her hands. She was his biggest weakness and she made sure to exploit that fact in any way possible; this counseling session being an example.

He leaned against the door frame, legs crossed at the ankle, as he took another sip from the glass of bourbon he nursed as he watched her, 'How about we ditch the shrink and I can counsel you in the bedroom?'

'Damon, please' She sighed in exasperation, finally glancing up at his reflection in the mirror, 'Can you just play nice and do this for me?'

'Play nice? When have you ever known me to follow the rules?' His smirk turned mischievous as he sat the bourbon down on the counter nearest him 'I like to play dirty, baby. You know that.'

'But you agreed-'

'Actually,' He mumbled 'You tricked me.'

Her eyes widened before narrowing considerably 'I did not trick you. I simply asked and you agreed.'

'You simply asked? You asked me during a blowjob.'

Bonnie smirked at him in the mirror before shrugging her shoulders 'You still agreed.'

'You are a wicked witch' He whispered, chuckling lightly, 'You know how to get whatever you want out of me, don't you?'

She snorted before pointing the zipper on the back of her dress 'I wouldn't be your wife if I didn't have a couple of tricks up my sleeve" Her eyes reverted to his reflection in the mirror. Her husband was a sight to behold - chiseled by Michelangelo himself. His dark, denim jeans hung low on his waist and sunk lower with every step he took towards her from his position at the door. Her body tensed involuntarily as she felt his hand snake around her front and a gentle kiss being placed on the taut skin of her back 'Just one session. Be a good boy for tonight.'

'Mmmmm...' He hummed as he zipped the black, form-fitting dress up slowly before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her body into his, 'I love you in this dress.'

With her, his hands had a mind of their own, and he caught himself pulling the pin that held her chignon out and watching as her hair fell in dark waves to the middle of her back, framing her face as if it was the Mona Lisa. Blue eyes met green in the mirror and even with aggravation etched in to her features, he silently thanked God that she was his.

'Do you know how long it took me to perfect that?' She squealed, grabbing at the loose pieces of hair that fell on her shoulders.

'If we're going to do this, we're going to do this my way, and I would much rather fantasize about my hands running through your hair than what some know-it-all shrink has to say about us.' He murmured in the voice that made her heart pack it's bags and take off in a sprint.

It was the voice of a man that once was her enemy but slowly became her anchor when she had no one else. He became a best friend to her when friendships were few and far between but most of all, he became her lover. Over the span of three years, he studied her; he took the time and learned the secret language to her soul.

She closed her eye, melting into his embrace as she felt warmth begin to pool in the pit of her stomach. Was it always going to be like this with them? She could only hope.

All it took was one touch and she was clay in his hands, ready to be molded however he saw fit. He thought that he was under her spell but he was wrong; the magic he welded over her was old. It was universal. It was natural. It was power that even the Bennett line couldn't touch. She was his, utterly and thoroughly.

She wanted to be upset at him for messing with her hair but a simple 'Hmmm...' was all that she could get out as he moved her tresses to one side, replacing their warmth with the warmth of his lips.

He smiled in the crook of her neck, 'Damn, I'm good.'

Laughter filled the bathroom as she turned around in his arms, wrapping hers around his neck, 'No, you're a bad, bad man.'

'Clearly, I am' Damon stated, placing a kiss on the blood red lips of his wife, 'Why else would you be bringing some random woman into our home for "marriage counseling"?'

She hesitated for a moment before laying her head against his sturdy chest, 'I think it'll be good for us, Damon.'

How could she expect him to feel comfortable airing out all his dirty secrets to some head doctor with no knowledge of the supernatural world, and besides, what real reason did they have for counseling? They argued but hell, what couple, human, vampire, or witch, didn't?

The extra stuff didn't matter to him.

'Is it because of my snoring?' He questioned, jokingly.

She smacked him lightly on the chest before letting her hand rest there, 'No! But I do think that it will be nice to talk through some things. You believe that we can solve all of our problems with vampire sex and pancakes.'

'That's not completely true...' He feigned innocence 'You forgot bourbon.'

'Oh no!' She cried sarcastically in her best Southern accent, compliments of four months where Scarlett O'Hara was her best friend 'How could I forgot? There's always bourbon!'

Damon swatted her ass lightly as she turned her back to him 'I could do without your smart mouth right now, Mrs. Salvatore.'

'But isn't that one of the things you love about me?' She asked.

He smiled as he kissed her hair 'I really do and that's why I want you to tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours?'

His eyes set on the skin peeking out from beneath the neckline of the dress she bore as he searched for any imperfections or warnings that would alert him of a problem. After all, that is what marriage counseling is for, right?

She turned around to face him as she read his thoughts, 'You, Damon Salvatore, are stuck with me. It's still just you and me, remember? Stop overthinking this.'

She watched as his eyes became a darker shade of blue and shivered under his glare. His hands made their way up to her neck as he leaned forward, nuzzling in to her neck and placing a light kiss to her artery, 'Just you and me?' He whispered breathlessly in to her ear.

'You and me, baby.' She smiled.

'Good, now stay out of my head.'

'Not until you promise to stop thinking the worse of this counseling session. Just one session.'

'Just one?' He pouted and earned an eye roll from her 'You pinky promise?'

She sighed, rolling her eyes at his childish antics, 'I pinky promise.

He took a deep breath, allowing her words of assurance to sink into his mind. It should've been enough to calm him but there was still something, a horrible feeling, nagging at him. It was one of her emotions and even though she blocked her mind from his prying, he could still feel her aura 'Do you— Never mind.'

'Spit it out, Salvatore.'

'Well' Damon exhaled, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, changing his question to mirror the ones from before, 'Do you honestly think that this is a good idea?'

'Damon' She sighed, 'Stop overthinking—'

'Do you regret marrying me?' He whispered, his voice barely audible. As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to crumble up and die. He couldn't bear the thought of her regretting their union when it was the best thing to ever happen to him.

For a moment, the world around them seemed to come to a complete stop as he waited for her answer. The air in the room changed, becoming charged with another one of her emotions but this time, it was something sweeter. Something that caressed him, soothing his insecurities. She turned to him quietly and then spoke 'I've never been so sure about anything in my life as I am about being married to you. You are the best part of me, Salvatore. Don't ever doubt that.'

He sighed in relief 'I must be the luckiest man in Mystic Falls.'

Their eyes connected as the doorbell chimed, ruining their moment 'She's here' she stated, reaching for Damon's hand 'Come on.'

* * *

Bennett-Salvatore

* * *

'Thank you so much for coming.'

 **Bonnie** smiled brightly as she sat next to her husband but to be honest, it was all an act that she mastered long before the first time she sacrificed herself willingly for one of her friends. Her poker face was a force to be reckoned with because as she sat, plucking loose threads from the hem of the dress she bore, she was a nervous wreck. She glanced at the handsome man next to her and was immediately jealous.

Was he born with the confidence of a Greek god or was that something he learned as a vampire? That was a question for another time because as he sat next to her with those translucent blue eyes that were full of mystery and dancing with mischief but unaware of all the truths to come, he was calm. That's how she wanted him to stay.

How could he be so calm?

The counselor took a seat across from them as he took her hand in his own. The simple gesture drew her out of her thoughts and back into the reality that lay in front of them. Her weak smile turned to one of embarrassment as her focus went from the man beside her to the older woman across from them.

'Thank you so much for coming. I'm Bonnie and this is Damon Salvatore.'

The counselor was a small woman, probably in her early fifties with dark hair that was peppered with gray and cut into a stylish bob. She was well put together, carrying herself in a manner that reminded Bonnie so much of her own Grams, but it was only right. This woman was no ordinary "shrink" as Damon called her; she was a witch and a strong one at that. She practiced with her Grams, a fact that Bonnie left out when telling Damon about her.

'Of course, I know who you are child' She smiled, leaning across and taking Bonnie's hand before she turned to Damon, 'And nice to meet you, Damon.'

He stared at the extended limb for a moment before right side of his mouth turned up into a slight smile as he sat forward and took her hand in his, 'Bonnie didn't tell me that you were a witch' the older woman seemed surprised that he could tell, 'Being married to one makes it easier to recognize. Nice to meet you-'

'Dr. Janet Smith' The elder woman smiled as Damon sat back against the love seat, placing an arm around Bonnie's shoulders, 'And that's interesting. Vampires are usually oblivious to our magic. You two are bonded?'

The question caused Bonnie to blush. Sure, they were bonded in more ways than one. She shook her head in agreement, 'Yes, ma'am. We are.'

'So, the rumors are true?' Dr. Smith's voice trailed off but Bonnie knew what she was asking and grabbed Damon's hand tighter, as she repeated her actions from before, shaking her head in agreement, 'Well, now that I have a little background, Bonnie, let's start with you. What would you like to accomplish by the end of this session?'

Damon chuckled at the use of his last name sans Bennett while Bonnie blushed from embarrassment. This was an ongoing debate between the two. Of course, Bonnie wanted to keep her last name to continue the Bennett line but Damon was anything but willing to compromise, 'Please, call me Bonnie.'

'See, BonBon' Damon whispered, pulling Bonnie to him and kissing her forehead, 'Even she agrees. Bonnie Salvatore sounds better than Bonnie Bennett.'

Bonnie cuts her eyes in his direction before returning her attention to the elder woman, 'I am so sorry, Dr. Smith.'

'It's no problem, child. You, please, call me Janet. Now, besides your last name troubles, what brings you two to counseling?'

'I've been asking the same question since I agreed to it!' Damon scoffed, 'I doubt that you get a straight answer. She's a stubborn one.'

'I can believe it' Janet chuckled, 'Just like her grandmother.'

Bonnie sighed, 'I am not stubborn. It's just-'

She was afraid.

She looked at the man sitting next to her and she was afraid. She was afraid to lose him, afraid that things would change, afraid that he would hate her, afraid that she wouldn't enough for him.

'We've been married for a close to a year. Our anniversary is in less than two weeks, and there's just certain... things that I don't know how to talk to him about. I figured that a mediator would be best.' Bonnie smiled weakly.

The fear she felt, he could feel, and it made him nauseous. He glared at her even as she avoided his glance, 'What things, Bonnie?'

She laughed but it was empty. Standing up, all eyes followed her as she moved toward the fireplace, 'Where should I start?'

'The beginning, preferably.'

'Don't mind him, child' Dr. Smith stated simply, cutting her eyes at Damon, 'Start wherever you feel comfortable and hold nothing back. Now is the time to get it off your chest.'

None of this was comfortable. That was the problem. Bonnie took a deep breath as she stared at the picture on the fire place mantle. How ironic that it was of Elena and Damon during happier times. At a time where Bonnie had simply been the best friend while Elena was, and probably still is, the love of Damon's life. She never noticed the framed photo before but she knew exactly who placed it there, 'It started a little over three years ago.'

Bonnie could sense Damon becoming tense. The air grew so thick surrounding them that she found it hard to breathe but Dr. Smith was oblivious to strain on their connection, 'What happened?'

'Elena Gilbert happened' Damon whispered, confusion etched into his features as he followed Bonnie's focus to the picture that he forgot even existed.

She turned to him, emerald eyes filled with unshed tears. He moved to go to her but she held up her hand, effectively stopping him in his tracks, 'No, sit. I'm okay.'

'You're not! What's going on?' Damon questioned, 'I knew this wasn't a good idea.'

She offered him a weak smile before facing Dr. Smith, 'I'm sure that you've heard of the Gemini coven. Damon and I died a little over four years ago when the other side collapsed and we were sent to one of their alternate prisons where they held one of their own.'

Janet's eyes enlarged, 'Malachai?'

'Unfortunately,' Bonnie felt her blood boiling just at the mention of his name. If anyone could be blamed for the situation she was in, it was him, 'We were able to escape but so was he. He murdered the entire coven before linking my life to Elena's. It was a game to him. It pit me and Damon against each other.'

'Your life or hers?' Janet questioned, as Bonnie shook her head, 'I'm guessing that this Elena person was someone important to Damon.'

'She was my best friend' Bonnie smiled nostalgically, recalling the friendship she had with the doe-eyed brunette, 'She was also the love of Damon's life.'

'Oh?'

'Their love was-' She sighed.

'Bonnie, what is this?' He finally stood up, reaching for her hand.

She moved out of his reach, holding her hands up as a warning for him not to come any closer, 'Let me finish, please. A love like that doesn't go away within a year, hell, not even within three years of being with someone. You carry a love like that with you for the rest of your life.'

'You're being over-dramatic.'

'I could never understand why he chose to save me just to resent me for it.' Her voice cracked as she wiped at the tears threatening to spill.

Dr. Smith looked up at Bonnie from the note pad that lay on her lap, 'Do you think that he still holds on to some of that resentment?'

'I feel like I am competing with a ghost every day that I am with him.'

'How could you feel like that? Are you losing your mind?'

'Hear me out.' Bonnie pleaded.

'Do go on and tell me how I feel, Bonnie Bennett' The use of her maiden name carried so much venom that it stung. He shot up from the sofa and to the bottle of bourbon that he stored on the shelf near the fire place. He grabbed a glass and began to pour as his eyes drifted up to the picture that Bonnie was staring at earlier, 'But know this, you're wrong.'

'Am I, Damon?'

'You are!' He bellowed, 'Do you think that I married you for shits and giggles? You are the love of my life.'

'Only because you think that she is no longer an option.' Bonnie mumbled.

Damon whirled around to face her, eyes ablaze, 'She is no longer an option. You are the only option.'

Bonnie shrugged, 'But if the opportunity arose-'

'I chose you!' He crossed the room to where she stood, towering over her, 'I chose you! Why don't you fucking get it? You are my wife, Bonnie.'

'I can't' She paused, looking up in to the eyes of the man that she wasn't supposed to fall in love with, 'I have gone over this more than a million times in my mind. There's been nights when I felt like I was suffocating due to this feeling.'

'Where is this coming from?' Damon paced the floor like a caged animal preparing to strike, 'We were fine not even twenty minutes ago. Have I not shown you that I love you? That I'm devoted to you? That I would die for you? What do you want from me, baby?' He pleaded, sick of the discussion.

'Earlier, you asked me did I regret marrying you' She stared down at the floor, unable to meet his eyes, 'And I meant what I said. I love you and I've never been so sure of anything in my life, but I don't want to feel like you're going to regret this once the honeymoon phase wears off. If she is still an option for you, then I can leave.'

'Stop while you're ahead' Damon bit out, battling the beast that was his temper. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could she doubt his feelings for her? How could she believe that walking out of his life would bring him happiness? He clenched and unclenched his fists, the action mirroring that of his jaw. He had dealt with a plethora of people in his lifetime failing to believe in him but he wouldn't take this from his wife.

'How about we all take a breather' Dr. Smith cleared her throat, breaking the silence that had grown between the two, 'Damon, please sit down.'

For a moment, not one of them moved as Damon stared down at Bonnie, waiting for her to look up, and when she did, she wanted to disappear but she couldn't look away. She could see the betrayal, the hurt, in his eyes and it made her sick.

Damon took one last look at her before turning around and running his hands through his raven hair in frustration, 'I'm too wired to sit down. Whatever else she has to say, she can say it with me standing.'

'Okay' Dr. Smith shook her head in agreement, 'Earlier, Bonnie, you said that Damon resented you after saving your life at the expense of Elena's. How did the dynamic change?'

A ghost of a smile pulled at Bonnie's lips, 'We accidentally fell in love.'


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Merry Christmas, Lovelies!

Just a little note, there will be a couple of plethora of intertwining flashbacks that will help explain how Bonnie and Damon came to this point so don't think I'm just throwing you into their lives mid-crisis. Also, the next couple of chapters will explain why Bonnie waited until they were married to consider counseling.

Please Read & Review.

* * *

 **Damon** loved the feeling that complete, utter control gave him. He spent so much of his childhood being told what to do and how to do it from an abusive father that he reveled i the fact that he could control anyone with a simple glance. It was a high that could only be comparable to the one felt when his blood lust was quenched. His confidence, the thing that Bonnie admire the most about him, came from his ability to control situations but right now, as he fell to his knees, searching the features of his wife's face, he slowly came to the realization that the control he thought he had over the situation had evaporated into thin air.

Panicked, his wild eyes slid closed as he attempted to venture into her mind for answers but was immediately blocked by a barrier erected by Bonnie with the sole purpose of keeping him out. He opened his eyes in disbelief. He taught her that technique and she was using it against him. She had effectively locked him out. He couldn't even feel her anymore.

The sudden loss of control left him paralyzed in a battle to contain himself. The old Damon, the one who killed for fun and drank away his cares with hard liquor, would've lashed out as a defense mechanism but this Damon, _Bonnie's Damon_ , sat there in silence, fists clenched at his side because he was preparing for battle.

The elder witch shifted in her seat, gaining his attention, 'How did you—' She paused, trying to find the correct wording her next question. Her fingers made quotation marks as she spoke 'How do you accidentally fall in love? Surely there must've been some attraction formed before he chose you over her, Bonnie.'

'And I'm not doubting that, at least, not on my end, but to understand why I said accidentally, you would've had to know Damon and I before 1994.' Bonnie's glance went from her hands which were balled in her lap to Damon's questioning eyes and she found herself chuckling lightly. She was stumped. How did she fall in love with Damon Salvatore? The perpetual bad boy, the homicidal vampire. How did she go against everything she stood for and allow herself to be immersed in this unexplainable love? She had been asking herself the same question for a while yet she hadn't found an answer. Now, here she was, being forced to retrace her steps for the sake of their marriage.

She could blame it on magic but they both know that magic had only played a tiny role in their relationship. No, that couldn't be the culprit.

'It just happened,' Bonnie smiled at Dr. Smith 'It just happened...' She sighed, looking back to the man kneeling before her.

'Was it because he chose to save you knowing that Elena would die?' Dr. Smith questioned.

'She didn't die,' Bonnie cleared her throat as she ventured further into the uncomfortable conversation 'She was in a coma like slumber and he chose me believing that it would be a temporary fix until we figured something else out.'

Dr. Smith glanced up from the notepad on her lap, 'He still chose you, correct?'

'Yes, I did,' Bonnie pursed her lips as Damon spoke up 'She probably thinks otherwise but I would do it all again.'

Dr. Smith placed the note pad on the seat next to her, 'From what I'm hearing, Damon loves you, Bonnie. There has to be something else driving these concerns.'

Bonnie never told Damon her deepest fears, so now, as his blue eyes searched her emerald ones for an answer, she wanted to run. She desperately wished that she could have the same fate of the wicked witch because that's how she felt; wicked. She wanted someone to douse with a bucket of water. She wanted to dissolve into nothingness; Shit, she wanted to melt away just to get a piece of mind. She couldn't stand to see the hurt and confusion etched into his handsome feature. She knew what she was doing was unfair but she had to be sure. She knew what Damon's hate felt like just like she had his love committed to memory. She had to make sure that he was hers just as much as she was his.

But Dr. Smith was right, there was something else.

'I did something' Bonnie sighed, 'Six months after the situation, something horrible happened.'

Bonnie watched as Damon's facial expression changed to from confusion to anger as he scoffed and stood up, turning his back to Bonnie, 'You're going too far, Bonnie.'

'I need to do this,' She whispered 'You need to know what happened.'

'You don't think I know what happened? I had a front row seat!'

'Listen, Damon.'

He threw his arms up in defeat 'I guess I have no choice but to, huh?'

'I didn't want it to happen. I wasn't even safe around him.' Bonnie pleaded.

'Why wasn't she safe, Damon?'

'At the time, I wasn't in the best state of mind. She wasn't safe around me and I made sure to let that fact be know,' Damon mumbled, flopping down on the floor and bypassing the cup of bourbon for the entire bottle, 'I wasn't myself.'

'How so?'

Damon took a long sip of the bourbon 'I turned it off.'

* * *

ThreeYearsPrior.

* * *

 **Bonnie Bennett** didn't know how to be selfish.

She didn't know how to turn her back on anyone and even when she knew that she should have, she didn't think about herself. Alone time and her soul must've not mixed well when God created her because she could never catch a break, not even if it was thrown at her by a toddler. It just wasn't possible.

If Bonnie could catch a break, her phone wouldn't have rung at 3:16am. If she could catch a break, she would've been asleep when said phone rang and she was called to the Salvatore boarding house by the brother of a psychotic, heartbroken vampire on a rampage.

Bonnie glanced over her shoulder at the younger of the two vampires as he paced back and forth, making her more nervous than she was initially.

'Stefan, could you stop? You're going to break her concentration!' The blonde-haired vampire screeched from the sofa that sat in front of Bonnie's place on the floor 'Sorry, Bon.'

Bonnie looked up from the map in front of her and smiled weakly 'You know Stefan, always the hovering parent.'

Stefan stopped his pacing and sat next to Caroline on the sofa, taking her legs and placing them in his lap 'Well, pardon me for being nervous about my murderous elder brother.'

'This is no way to celebrate Bonnie's return.' Caroline sighed.

Oh, but what a return it was.

Immediately following Elena's memorial, slumber party, whatever, Bonnie left. Retreating to a place so far away that whenever she brought up where she was from, people would scrunch their noses and pull out their phones 'Oh there?' was the response she would hear often.

Yes, there.

The place she never wanted to go back to. The home of the man she was terrified to see but Bonnie knew that wherever she went, she would soon be summoned, and duty came calling one night just as she had finally begun to adjust to a semi-normal life in Louisiana. Now, here she was; chasing an over dramatic, emotionless vampire. In the six months that Bonnie lived in Louisiana with cousins Lucy and Dominique, Damon went on a spree in Mystic Falls. He was two hops and a skip away from becoming a ripper and that was saying something. He had killed over 10 people, mostly brown haired, cinnamon skinned women who favored, but were not, her. When Caroline called to deliver the news, it was clear. His humanity was turned off and he was dangerous, but most of all, her best friend was hurting.

'You're not the only one nervous,' Bonnie mumbled as she watched the pendulum stop on the location of the wanted vampire. She stood up, wiping her sweaty hands on the front of her dark jeans 'He's at the Mystic Grille. Let's go.'

'What?' Caroline screeched, shooting up from the sofa and to Bonnie's side 'You're can't go! Stefan, tell her that she can't go!'

Stefan eyed Bonnie, attempting to see her logic while noting the look of determination in her eyes. They both knew that with Damon no longer holding on to his humanity, there was no doubt in his mind that his brother would attempt to hurt her in the state he was in. Best friend or not, she wasn't safe, 'Bonnie, I think it would be best if you stayed behind. You can stay here, safe in the boarding house.'

'You think that I'm safe?' Bonnie snorted 'If I was safe, I wouldn't be here right now. We have to stop him. I can help.'

Caroline sighed, understanding what Bonnie meant without her saying it, 'You shouldn't have to deal with this, Bonnie. He made the choice and he should be able to live with it like a man.'

'It is my fault,' Bonnie said, grabbing her jacket, 'And you both can come with me or I will go own my own, but I've ran from this long enough. I'm ending this tonight.'

Bonnie knew what she had to do and frankly, she didn't care anymore. She would do whatever she had to, to save innocent people.

Stefan sighed, knowing that there was no use in trying to talk Bonnie out of it, she wouldn't back down, 'Let's go.'

* * *

Present.

* * *

There was a loud noise followed by the sound of glass shattering and the smell of bourbon in the air. Bonnie looked up from her hands to the corner of the room where Damon had thrown the bourbon bottle and back at him as he stood up and yelled, 'Are you trying to make me relive all of the evil things I've done? Huh? I don't have to listen to this shit.'

Bonnie shook her head and smiling at the handsome man standing before her. That was probably one of the reasons she fell as hard as she did. He had the facial structure and allure of a god.

He paced in front of her, running his hands through the messy, black hair on top of his head. Bonnie watched him carefully before speaking again, "Please, just calm down.'

'Why does any of this matter?' He growled every word with intended force 'I love you. We're married. Why now? Why bring this up now?'

'Why don't you want her to talk about it, Damon?' Dr. Smith questioned.

'Because of what he thinks happened.'

Damon eyes widened 'Because of what I think happened? I'm pretty sure that the proof is sitting right in front of me.'

This was the moment that Bonnie had been dreading since waking up the morning after 'Damon—'

'Tell her!' He spat 'Since you're divulging all of other dirty secrets, tell her everything. Tell her how I force-fed you my blood and then because of me—'

'I took my own life.' Bonnie whispered.

'What?' Damon's eyes grew large as he stared at the woman in front of him that suddenly seemed so small 'You did what?'

'I know what you think happened but I had to do something to stop you' Their eyes met as Bonnie began to tell her deepest, darkest, secret. The one that had driven her to consult with Dr. Smith in the first place, 'I did it.

'S-Stefan said...' Damon began, staggering back a bit, fighting the hardest battle he had ever fought. His legs felt like noodles beneath him. He didn't know whether to feel rage or to be thankful that her plan hadn't gone through.

'Stefan told you exactly what I told him to tell you.'

* * *

ThreeYearsAgo.

* * *

'Damon, stop!' Bonnie yelled, running towards him. He was exactly where she suspected him to be; in the middle of an alley with his mouth pressed to the neck of a girl pinned against the wall. He turned towards Bonnie, that devious smirk of his making emerging before he turned back to his meal of the moment and tore into the girl's neck once more. Bonnie looked on in horror as he let the girl's unconscious body fall to the ground at his feet.

'Looks like the fun police was a little too late!' He laughed 'And you've brought a friend. Bonnie Bennett, just the girl I was looking for.'

Bonnie heard Stefan take a step forward but she motioned for him to stay back. This was her fight 'Damon, turn it back on or so help me, I will give you the aneurysm of your miserable lifetime.'

'Do you worst, witch,' He spat, 'I'll turn it back on when you're dead.'

'You're hurting, I get that. Let me help,' She pleaded 'I can't help you if you don't let me.'

Damon rolled his eyes, 'You've helped me enough.'

'If your problem is with me, talk to me. You don't have to kill these innocent people.'

'That's the point of not having humanity, Bon,' Damon looked past her and to his younger brother 'Am I right, brother? You are the ripper of the family.'

'This is between me and you,' Bonnie focused, raising her hands and bringing him to his knees 'Stefan, take Caroline, get the girl, and get out of here.'

'Bonnie, we're not leaving you out here with him.' Caroline spat, grabbing her arm.

Bonnie smiled weakly at her worried friend, patting the hand that was placed on her forearm. This would be the last time that she saw Caroline but she couldn't bring herself to tell her plan to Caroline and Stefan. She knew that they would try to stop her but this was Damon's only chance at humanity.

'Trust me, I'll be fine.' She lied.

'I'm staying.' Stefan declared.

'Of course, you are,' Damon laughed at the exchange 'Always the noble one. You can't save her, Stefan. You know how I am when I want something. I always win.'

Bonnie sent another wave of magic his way which sent him back to his knees, 'Get her out of here, Caroline.'

Caroline looked at her friend, nodding her head slowly before grabbing the girl and speeding into the darkness.

'Damon,' Bonnie began, her voice barely above a whisper 'This isn't you.'

'Oh, this is me, Bonnie,' He spat, 'You've simply missed all of the action.'

'I want to help you. Let me help you.'

'When I needed you the most, what did you do? You left!' He shouted, struggling to stand up 'You were my best friend. You abandoned me after everything that I sacrificed for you.'

His words stung because they held a truth that Bonnie couldn't deny but she wouldn't be the only one to blame, 'Did I ask you for that, huh? I didn't ask you to abandon anything for me, Damon. Especially I would've known that you would act like this.'

Stefan grabbed her arm, stopping her from moving towards the vampire, 'That's close enough, Bonnie.'

'No, let the witch get closer since she seems to have a death wish,' Damon stood straight up 'You've owe me dinner and I have something in mind, little witch.'

'Why did you save me?' She asked again. This time, tears she didn't even know there were streaming down her cheeks 'If you were going to hate me so much, why did you do it?'

'Because!' He yelled at her.

'Because of what?' She spat back and found herself pinned against the wall.

'I saved your pathetic life because you saved mine and I don't like owing favors, but now you owe me. I gave up everything for you!' He yelled, applying pressure to her throat as she struggled against his hand 'And you will repay me.'

'Let her go, Damon!'

Stefan took a step forward 'Stay back or I will kill her.'

'That's not true,' Bonnie forced out 'That's not why you saved me.'

'Why else? You're nothing to me now.'

She didn't let the words faze her 'Then kill me.'

'Or I have a better idea,' Damon bit into his wrist before forcing it into her mouth 'A fate worse than death.'

'Damon, are you insane?' Stefan shouted, rushing to Damon's side attempting to pull him off as Bonnie squirmed beneath his grip. Eyes wide as the metallic tasting liquid ran down her throat causing her to gag and panic.

This wasn't a part of her plan.

Bonnie felt Damon's grip tighten and for the first time since finding him in the alley, she was terrified, 'Damon, please.'

'No begging. It'll be over in a minute.'

'Damon, think about what you're doing' Stefan begged, afraid to move any closer, 'You'll regret this.'

'Not this, brother,' He sneered 'Not when she's the one thing standing between me and happiness.'

She looked the vampire in his eyes, 'I'm so sorry, Damon.'

His shoulders hunched before he pushed her into the wall again, this time letting her body slide to the floor. Stefan rushed to her side, 'You were supposed to be here for me and you weren't. I'll wait seventy years for your death but know that you're dead to me now, Bonnie Bennett.'

'Damon, this has got to stop. I'm sorry that I left but I am here now!' She felt herself growing weaker but she had to get him to turn it back on or her plan would be in vain 'Elena wouldn't want this. She specifically told you to live your life.'

Damon turned to her, 'You don't get to play that card with me. If Elena wants anything, she should come tell me herself.'

'Damon, stop!' Stefan boomed as Bonnie fell to her knees, 'Stop!'

'Stay out of my way until she's dead or I will kill you all.' Damon sped away, leaving Bonnie and Stefan alone in the alley.

'Bonnie, I'm sure he didn't mean—' Bonnie's state of being stopped Stefan in his tracks. She was on her knees, murmuring lightly with blood draining from her eyes and ears. He dropped to his knees next to her, 'Bonnie!'

* * *

Present.

* * *

Damon punched the nearest wall and growled, 'What the fuck did you do?'

'I'm so sorry, Damon,' Bonnie sobbed 'I should've told you.'

'All these years—' He choked on his words 'Why?'

'I cared about you more than anyone else, Damon and for you to hate me like that? I felt as alone as I did when I was stranded in the prison world.' Bonnie stood up and made her way towards her husband, 'I wanted you to be happy again.'

'Stefan told me that you were in an accident on the way back to the boarding house. I saw the car!' Damon whispered, 'I saw the damned car.'

'You saw what I asked Stefan to make you see. I didn't want you to feel guilty.'

Damon shook his head, 'You committed suicide.'

'I didn't know what else to do, Damon.'

'You didn't know what else to fucking do?' Damon shouted 'How about fucking live? Do you know how I've felt? The guilt I've carried thinking that I was the reason for everything?

Bonnie stepped back from him, 'I didn't plan to die with your blood in my system and I couldn't stop the spell.'

'What if I hadn't given you my blood?' He ran his hands through his hair in desperation before grabbing her by her arms, 'What the fuck were you thinking?'

'I was doing what Bonnie does best.'

'And look where that got you!' Damon snapped, turning to head for the front door 'I need to get the hell out of here.' He spat before grabbing his jacket and heading out into the evening air.

'Damon, we're not done!' Dr. Smith sat up and Bonnie rolled her eyes, _fine time for her to say something._

'We're done.' He spat, considering Bonnie's eyes and slamming the door behind him. A few moments passed before the familiar sound of his Chevy Camaro's engine filled the air, 'He's gone.'

Dr. Smith pursed her lips for a moment, 'Do you want to continue, child?' Bonnie shook her head in agreement before she continued 'Can I ask you a question?'

'Yes, ma'am.'

'How are you alive, dear?' Dr. Smith asked.

'That must be one rumor that hasn't reached you,' Bonnie sunk to the floor, wiping the stray tears from her lash line, 'I'm a vampire.'


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Happy New Year, Lovelies!

Thank you so much for all the reviews, I honestly appreciate them and it motivates me to continue on. Also, thank you to those who follow and favorite! I appreciate you as well but I would love to hear your feedback.

Somehow, this chapter got deleted during editing so I'm having to re-write the entire thing by memory, which helps because I can change somethings around, but I still want to just jump from the events in this chapter to the juicy stuff but whatever.

It is also very short but I'll make it up next chapter which will be out Friday.

* * *

 **Dr. Smith** pursed her lips, 'Do you want to continue child?' She waited less than ten seconds for Bonnie to shake her head in agreement, motioning her to continue, 'Can I ask you a question?'

'Yes, ma'am.'

Throughout Damon and Bonnie's exchange, Dr. Smith attempted to remain neutral, choosing to remain silent and observe their situation as a true spectator because that's truly what it was - a spectacle - but necromancy? That was something that the elder with did not condone nor dabble in. It was an old, dark magic that left an equally dark mark on the caster's soul which, from the looks of it, the young Bennett witch lacked.

So how did she do it? How did young witch remain tethered to this realm?

'How are you alive, dear?'

'That must be one rumor that hasn't reached you,' Bonnie sunk to the floor, wiping the stray tears from her lash line 'I'm a vampire.'

'A vampire?' The elder witch eyed Bonnie suspiciously 'You don't feel like death, girl.'

Bonnie's eyes closed as she lifted the veil used to cloak her vampirism, allowing her immense power to seep out for a small moment before containing it once again. When she opened her eyes, Dr. Smith was staring, surprise etched into her features, 'We've learned that it's best if I cloak my vampirism. It only complicates things when I meet other supernaturals.'

'Your vampirism what they're attracted to. Your power is like a beacon.'

'Which is more of a blessing than a curse.' Bonnie sighed.

'You share the blood of both the natural and unnatural,' Realization fell over Dr. Smith's features as she eyed Bonnie suspiciously, 'In all my years, I've never encountered anything like this. A Bennett heretic. How is this possible?'

'I couldn't tell you if I wanted to' To be honest, Bonnie wasn't sure. There was nothing to compare her experience to because, logically, she shouldn't have been able to complete the transition. Vampirism is not natural because vampires, unlike witches, are made, not born, which makes it almost impossible for the two to mix but Bonnie was the one and only exception, 'Like I told him earlier, I couldn't stop the spell and I didn't plan to die with his blood in my system.'

'It's the fact that you planned to die at all,' Dr. Smith shook her head in disappointment 'Child, don't you value your life?'

'I do, it's just-' Bonnie's head lowered as she went over her actions leading up to the confrontation with Damon in her head. She found the spell that would stop her heart in the grimoire and didn't have to think it over. Did that mean that she didn't value her life? No. To her, she was simply trying to fix the problem; fix him before he caused the world to implode 'I needed to stop him before he hurt anyone else.'

'Is this the first time you thought to talk to him about this?'

Bonnie sighed, 'No. God no. I've wanted to tell him the truth since it happened. Besides him being my husband, he's my best friend, I tell him everything but this? I knew this would crush him.'

'Do you think that waiting until he came to terms with her death helped?'

Bonnie ran a shaky hand through her hair, 'No. I'm sure he hates me now that he knows I'm the reason Elena died.'

'What?'

'The spell had a loophole,' Bonnie sighed 'If one of us tried to break the link, both would die. I guess Damon's blood and my magic worked against the spell, killing Elena for good.'

'Do you think that Damon pieced that together?'

'I'm sure he has. Damon's smarter than he looks.' She smiled at the thought of her husband.

'I can tell. Is he always that-'

'I know that he comes off as an asshole, and I'm not making excuses for him because if no one calls him on his shit, I do, but he's the love of my life. I've never felt so safe and at home with someone like I do with him. He's intense, yes, but he loves just as intensely and he's a great husband,' Bonnie's glance shifted to the halo-diamond ring on her left hand and she smiled, 'I mean, I married him, didn't I?'

'That you did,' Dr. Smith smiled, 'If you don't mind me asking, what got Damon to flip his switch?'

'I did.'

* * *

Bennett-Salvatore

* * *

Everything around was silent except for an incessant buzzing that she couldn't put her finger on. She tried to move and couldn't, pain replacing her will to become mobile then suddenly, all at once, the buzzing turned into a blaring siren causing her eyes to shoot open and her body to come alive as pain filled the void. The pain that she felt was intense, blinding, only to be compared with her time as the anchor but this was different; there was a nagging sensation in her gums along with an intense itch on the taut skin underneath her eyes.

She glanced around the bedroom, looking for anything that would give her a clue on where she was but everything was too bright, too blurry, too intense. Looking down at the silk sheets pooled in her lap, recognition fell over her; she knew this bed. Why was she in Damon's room?

'Why hasn't she woken up?' Caroline's hushed voice carried into the dark bedroom, causing Bonnie's sensitive ears to ring. Even though she could tell that her best friend was rooms away, the volume was no different than her being at her side with a damned cheerleading horn.

Raising a hand, she gently massaged her temples, trying to make sense of everything. The nagging pain in gums was now a dull ache but her teeth were now throbbing and her jaw felt like someone put her on her ass. Throwing the dark sheets from her sweat-drenched body, she threw her legs over the side of the bed about to find Caroline for some answers when Stefan's sad voice stopped her in her tracks, 'I can't say for sure. Her magic's probably working against the transition. She'll wake when she's ready.'

Transition - The realization caused her to glance down at her, now, pale hands that were covered with retreating veins. The sound of a woman's horrified scream filled the air, and after a second, Bonnie realized that it was her screaming. The door flew open as Caroline sped into the room with Stefan close behind.

Caroline rushed to her side, 'Bonnie, it's okay. We're here.'

'I can't be-' Bonnie's shook her head in fierce denial 'I can't be transitioning.'

Stefan sighed, 'I don't know how it's possible but you are.'

'No shit, Sherlock!' Bonnie spat 'I don't want this. This can't be happening.'

'I'm so sorry that this is happening, Bon and I understand how you feel,' Caroline said with sincerity because she did. She understood what it felt like to be forced into transition and to wake up with two choices: drink or die but she prayed that Bonnie would choose the latter 'But I'm going to be here with you every step of the way. You're not alone.'

'Every step of the way? I'm not completing the transition.' Bonnie closed her eyes and braced herself for the fallout. Yes, Caroline's words were soothing but she couldn't become a vampire, or witch-pire, or whatever.

'Bonnie, I understand that it's all new but if you don't, you'll die for good.' Stefan ran a nervous hand across his forehead.

Bonnie scoffed, 'Death has a friend of mine for years, Stefan. Let's not act like I don't have it on speed dial.'

'Do you even hear yourself?' Caroline screeched and Bonnie's hands flew to her ears to drown out the Blonde's wail.

'Caroline, please. Why are you so loud?'

Stefan's eyebrows raised, 'Your hearing? It's already sensitive?'

'Every time she talks, I feel like my ears are about to start bleeding.'

'That's one perk of being a vampire,' Caroline grabbed her hand, lowering her voice to a tolerable tone, 'Your hearing becomes impeccable.'

'Hearing, really Caroline?' Bonnie rolled her eyes, 'I can hear the damned squirrel Stefan has locked in his closet.'

Caroline's attention turned to her boyfriend as he threw his hands up in denial, 'Maybe she's delusional. I don't know what she's talking about.'

'Stefan,' Caroline glared before focusing back on Bonnie 'Bon, I know that you don't want this. I don't want it for you but I need my best friend here with me. I know it's selfish but I need you.'

Bonnie opened her mouth to speak but Caroline cut her off, 'But if you do decide that transitioning isn't the right path for you, I respect that and I will love you all the same. It's going to hurt like hell but I'd understand.'

'Right, Bonnie.' Stefan added, going to Caroline's side.

Bonnie's tear-filled eyes matched Caroline's as she sat in silence, weighing the options in her head. If she didn't complete the transition, she would die, right here, for good. No other side to be retrieved from, no prison world, and no warlock to bring her back; just death. But in completing the transition, she would become the creature that she fought against. She would be losing herself. Could she stomach being a blood-thirsty monster?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Stefan's phone ringing. When he glanced at the name on the screen, his eyebrow raised in confusion, 'I'm getting a call from Damon's phone.'

'I thought his phone was off.' Caroline asked, standing up.

'It was. Maybe I should tell him about Bonnie?'

'No!' Caroline screamed, snatching the ringing iPhone from his hand 'He's the reason this is happening in the first fucking place and I'm going to kill him with my bare hands.'

Stefan sighed, shifting his weight from foot to the other, 'But what if this is the push he needs to flip his switch?'

'Or it could drive him further into the deep end.'

'And besides,' Caroline rolled her eyes, 'He doesn't care. All he cares about is-'

'Elena!' Bonnie exclaimed, wincing at the sound of her own voice, 'I'm transitioning which means that I'm dead which means that she should be awake. Maybe that's why he called.'

Caroline's eyes lit up and she handed Stefan his phone back, 'You're right. Stefan call him back.'

As soon as Stefan took the phone, the sound of someone slamming a car door sounded from outside, 'Who is that?'

Caroline went over to the window and peered down, 'It's Damon and Elena's not with him.'

Bonnie frowned, 'Well, what is he doing here?'

'I'm not sure but he's coming in and he looks like he's on a warpath.' Stefan sighed as the sound of the front door opening and cracking against the foyer wall sounded throughout the house.

'Bonnie!' She could hear the pain mixed with rage in Damon's voice as his voice grew closer to the bedroom. Something was wrong 'Where the fuck are you?'

Something was definitely wrong. Her body tensed every time she heard the familiar sound of glass shattering and things being thrown, 'What is he doing?'

'Bonnie!'

Caroline pushed Stefan towards the door, 'Go find out what's going on and keep him away from this room.'

Before Stefan could open the door, it flew open, revealing a seething Damon, 'I am going to pull your heart out of your throat, Bennett.'

Stefan took a step towards his brother, 'What's going on, Damon?'

'What have you done?' Damon belted, fists clenching at his sides 'What the fuck have you done?'

'What are you talking about?'

'She's dead.'

'Who's dead?' Caroline asked carefully.

'Elena!' He spat before turning his full attention to Bonnie 'She's dead but yet, you're alive so what the fuck did you do, witch?'


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** Once again, thank you so much for all of the reviews! I honestly appreciate them and it motivates me to continue on. Also, thank you to those who follow and favorite! I appreciate you as well but I would **_love_ ** to hear your feedback.

* * *

' **Elena,** ' He spat, turning his full attention to Bonnie 'You know, my girlfriend, your best friend, that was supposed to be in a coma until you died. She's dead, yet, you're not. What the fuck did you do, witch?'

Bonnie felt her insides shatter as the sensation of someone pouring a bucket of cold water over her took hold of her body while confusion and pain marred her features, 'Damon, I—'

'What did you do, Bonnie?' He took a step towards her only to be stopped by Stefan's grip on his arm, the pain in the younger Salvatore's face equally raw.

Caroline moved to stand in front of Bonnie, visibly shaken and confused, 'She didn't do anything, Damon are you sure she's dead?'

Damon growled, fighting against Stefan's grip, 'Do I look like a fool to you, Blondie? She-She didn't have a heartbeat.'

Bonnie wanted to say something, anything but she couldn't. Not even five minutes ago, she believed that her best friend, the girl that was like a surrogate sister, was free of magic's grasp, able to continue her life only to hear that she didn't have a heartbeat.

For the life of her, she couldn't understand.

Then Kai's words entered her mind, _So, Bonster, I linked Elena's life to yours. And the rule is, as long as you're alive, Elena will remain asleep. Oh, and please, don't go looking for some weird, witchy work around because as the incredibly powerful leader of the Gemini, I rigged this, so if you do try to outsmart it, both you and Elena would die.'_

'Oh no—'

Damon smirked deviously, 'Oh, no, is right. I don't know why you're still alive but I am going to kill you.'

He lurched at her once more and Stefan pushed him against the nearest wall, 'We're all hurt behind this Damon but this isn't you talking. You're not yourself.'

'That's where you're wrong, little brother,' His eyes turned a blood red as he focused in on Bonnie 'I'm about to do something that I should've done months ago.'

'No, you're not yourself. If you were yourself, you would've noticed that Bonnie's not alive.'

'What are you talking about?' Damon pushed against Stefan's chest 'Get off me.'

'He's telling the truth, Damon.' Caroline quipped.

'Listen, Damon,' Stefan bit out 'You know this girl. You've spent months with her. You know what I'm saying is true. Bonnie's living because she's a vampire.' Bonnie held her breath as Damon's eyes found hers. For a moment, he stared impassively before his eyes widened and she saw recognition in his eyes, 'Y-Your heartbeat? What happened?'

Mortified, Bonnie's hand slowly found its way to her chest where her heart sat and she felt— nothing, immediately. As a vampire, she knew that their hearts beat but the rhythm was abnormal as well as few and far between. Damon's eyes never left her chest as he moved past Stefan towards the bed. Bonnie could tell by the way he stammered towards her that he was not the same vampire that had entered the room five minutes prior but Caroline refused to move, 'I'm not letting you near her, Damon.'

Damon closed his eyes in frustration, 'Leave the room, Caroline.'

'I don't care if you have your humanity back or not, I'm not leaving you with her. She's the only best friend that I have now and you won't hurt her anymore.'

'Stefan, grab your girlfriend before I remove her.'

Stefan sighed, also noting the change in his brother, 'Bonnie—'

'I can handle it.'

'Bonnie?' Caroline screeched, turning around to face her, 'I'm not going to let him hurt you.'

'I'm not going to hurt her, Blondie.'

'You're not going to hurt her? You're the reason why—' Bonnie reached forward and grabbed her best friend's elbow to silence her 'Caroline, I've got this. It's okay.'

Caroline eyed her before rolling her eyes and stepping to the side. As Damon attempted to maneuver past her, she grabbed his arm, looking him directly in the eyes, 'Try anything and I'm on you like a white on rice and it's going to take God to get me off.'

Stefan cleared his throat, ending the standoff. Caroline turned to smile at Bonnie, 'I'll be right outside if you need me.' With that, she exited the room with Stefan in tow.

Bonnie's eyes were everywhere but on Damon's as he stared down at her in amazement and utter confusion. Not even ten minutes ago, he entered this room filled with ill-contained rage that caused him to see red, ready to take out whoever dared to stand in his way, but now, as he stared at the transitioning witch in front of him, he felt nothing but guilt. She glanced up at him, finally, before looking down at her hands. She looked hopeless and isn't that what she preached on and on about to him about; hope? Where was hers now? Did he steal that away from her?

He couldn't wrap his mind around this. Not only was Elena gone for good but he put Bonnie in the one situation that she never wanted to be in.

He never saw her look like this and if he thought his heart was broken before, this was what heart break felt like. Did he do this to her? Did he finally break her?

The thought of breaking Bonnie Bennett was one that frequented his mind for the previous six months but even without his humanity, he knew he wasn't capable. He closed his eyes, one more time, in search of the heartbeat that he memorized once before and heard nothing.

'Damn it!' He yelled, punching the wall behind him and laying his forehead against it to brace himself.

Bonnie jumped at the sound of his fists cracking the drywall and clutched the sheets closer to her chest. She heard Caroline making her way back towards the door 'It's okay, Care,' she whispered as she slowly made her way out of the bed and stood, barefoot, in the middle of the bedroom floor 'Damon?'

His name left her lips as she took up the space behind him. She was angry at him, true, and he would see the error of his ways in the end, but for the first time in months, she could be near him without fearing for her life.

They stood in silence, neither one making a move or speaking and it was like that for a while until Damon turned around to face her. He opened his mouth and closed it before running his hands through his hair. He searched the bedroom for something to focus on at least until he could formulate a complete and coherent sentence.

'You need to feed,' Was the only thing that he managed to get out in response to his name 'You have to feed.'

'I'm not going to.'

'Bonnie-' He bit out, rage taking over the feelings of guilt, 'That's not an option. If you don't feed, you'll—'

'I'll die.' Bonnie spoke the words as if they meant nothing.

'Yes.'

'But wouldn't that be exactly what you wanted, Damon,' Bonnie's tone rose 'You've wanted me dead for months. All of those innocent girls are dead because you couldn't get to me.'

Damon grew quiet as he thought about the girls that he murdered simply because they favored Bonnie. It was psychotic, yes, but it was how he handled grief. He lashed out. In the previous months, he found himself drifting towards the man that he was May 10, 1994.

'I never wanted you dead, Bon. You know that.'

Bonnie scoffed, 'I don't know anything about you anymore.'

'I'm still your best friend.'

'Oh, really? My best friend disappeared more than six months ago after he saved me. Why did you even save me?' Damon tensed at the question 'Why put your happiness on hold just to hate me for it?'

'Because.'

'Because of what?' She stepped closer to him. Her eyes began to turn a shade of grey that was almost white, something that Damon had never seen before. He stepped away from her as he heard the wind begin to hip outside and against the windows of the boarding house.

'Your emotions, Bonnie. You're still a witch.' He warned, afraid that if he let her go too far; she would cause a hurricane.

'Am I? I have this damned insatiable thirst for blood and it is all that I can think about!'

'But you are still a witch with ties to nature and if you don't stop, this entire damned boarding house will fall.'

'Let it fall!' Bonnie yelled, flippantly 'You don't give a damn about my emotions. You want me dead, so let me die.'

'Bonnie, I'm warning you.' He growled.

'Maybe death would be better for—' She groaned as Damon pushed her into the nearest wall. Lightening began to strike outside and the wind began to become more violent 'Let me go.'

His, now red eyes, bore directly into hers, 'You will feed. This is not a question but a demand.'

She felt her resolve evaporating but she lifted her chin, challenging him, 'You don't demand me to do anything.'

Damon's grip on her arms became tighter, 'Don't test me. If anything happens to you, I will—'

 _'I will lose my mind_ ,' Bonnie mocked in his voice, rolling her eyes 'Well, guess what Damon? I feel like I'm already losing mine. You wanted me dead.'

'I lost her, Bonnie!' He yelled 'I lost Elena, it hurt, and I lashed out, but I will not lose you. You will feed.'

Damon shook his head at the thought of losing Bonnie, 'I've lost your trust, I've hurt you, but as much as I know you don't want to hear this, I need you,' He sighed as he let her go and she leaned against the wall 'I'm so sorry, Bonnie. I really am but I need you as much as you need me.'

'I don't need you.' She spat, chest heaving.

'You're a transitioning witch,' He smirked, attempting to lighten to mood 'You need me?'

'I can figure it out on my own. What can you possibly teach me?'

'For starters, how to keep your emotions in check,' He said, motioning towards the storm brewing outside, 'Your vampirism causes you to feel everything times ten. You're also tied to nature from birth because you are a witch who draws her strength from natural elements. When those two mix, you have the power to flatten an entire city when you're upset. Right now, you're causing a category five hurricane.'

Realization came over her features as the storm began to die down outside. Her eyes faded back to the normal emerald color that Damon was familiar with, 'Good girl.'

'Why do I feel like this?' She whispered 'I can't take my mind off feeding and I don't want to be this person.'

'You are not this person, Bonnie. It'll all settle out with time.'

Abruptly, he felt the familiar, warm feeling of Bonnie's small arms around him and he felt the coldness of her tears on his t-shirt. It took him a while to register what was going on because he hadn't felt her embrace in a while but when he did, he quickly gathered her into his arms and sat on the bed with her cradled in his lap, 'What am I going to do?'

Damon sighed, unable to answer her question because he didn't know. He began to run his fingers through her hair as he did while it was just the two of them in the prison world. He found out shortly into their imprisonment that Bonnie was afraid of the dark and would sometimes have nightmares, this was the only way he knew to calm her down, 'All of this is just too much and now, Elena's gone for good.'

She cried harder at the reality that she had lost her best friend forever when all she had set out to do was save her. If only Damon hadn't interfered, the spell would have been a success, although technically it was but she couldn't tell him that. She couldn't tell him that she set out to kill herself and that his blood intervened.

'I did this.' He said, simply. He had been relieving the moment he found Elene sans heart beat over and over for the past hour. It was the only thing he could think about. He would have his time to grieve but for right now, he had to be there for Bonnie.

'We have to get her back,' She declared, 'I'm so sorry, Damon.'

He honestly didn't know what to say other than, 'We'll figure it out.'

She sniffled, 'I've been so worried about you but you're back?'

'I'm back. Here to clean up the mess that I've made.' He answered.

'I'm okay, Damon.'

'You're not. You're transitioning.'

She bowed her head, 'While Elena's lost her life for good. If I could switch places with her—'

'No.' Damon said with finality.

'But—'

'No.'

Silence fell over the couple before she stood up and made her way to the window. The storm had turned into a slight drizzle and the moon was bright in the night sky, 'I'm scared, Damon.'

'I am too.' He stood up.

'Why?' She questioned, as she turned around to face him.

'Because you are now a hybrid, and a powerful one at that, which means that many other supernatural beings will try to tame you, to use that power.'

She scoffed at his word choice, 'Tame me?'

'You are a Bennett witch. One of the most powerful line of witches I've ever come across, the vampire blood running through your veins only makes you more of a threat to others. Your power is...' He trailed off and looked directly at her. Her aura was amazing - captivating. The distinct smell of vanilla filled the air around and he could hear the magic bursting on her glowing skin 'Untamed.'

She sighed, 'What do I need to do?'

'For now, make sure that you don't use your powers as much. We'll find some way to hide them but always be aware of your emotions'

Bonnie looked down at her hands. Who was she without her magic? She would have to find out, 'Am I really that powerful?'

'You are.'

'Wow.' Was all that she could get out.

'I can't stay that I'll do a good job but I promise that I will protect you. I've said it before, and I meant it, if anything happened to you, I'd lose my mind,' Damon moved over to where she stood 'For now, you need to stay at the boarding house. Let us help you, right Caroline and Stefan?' He rolled his eyes and looked towards the door that opened slowly to reveal two guilty looking vampires.

'Right!' Caroline smiled before stepping towards Bonnie and enveloping her in an embrace, 'I love you, Bon. We'll get through this.'

Stefan stepped up next, 'We will.'

Let's get started.' Damon said, taking Bonnie's hand and taking the blood bag out of Stefan's hand.

Bonnie's eyes bulged, 'What?'

'We have to complete the transition now,' Stefan replied 'You have to drink it. It's now or never.'

Bonnie stared down at the bag in front of her then back up at Damon. She took the blood from him and made a small hole at the top of the bag, 'Okay.'

At first, Bonnie went slow. She took one sip of the blood and sat back, taking in the taste and feel of the thick liquid as it trailed down her throat.

'Bonnie, slow down,' Caroline took a step towards her 'Are you okay?'

'Never better,' Bonnie said as she looked up and Caroline noticed her eyes had turned that odd shade of white again. She tore into bag and when she was done, she made sure to lick her fingers 'More.' She growled.

'Oh, no you don't. Slow down, Vampire Junior,' Damon said as he walked Bonnie back over to his bed and pulled the sheets over her bottom half. He leaned over and kissed her forehead before whispering in her ear 'You may want to lay down.'

'For what?' She asked, confused.

Caroline smiled, sweetly, 'It'll all be over quickly.'

'Okay, what's going on? Am I done?'

'We'll be here when you wake up,' Stefan put his hand on top of Bonnie's before walking towards the door 'Damon, you may want to leave the room.'

'I want to stay,' Damon looked at his brother 'She's going to need me here.'

Stefan shook his head, 'Come on, Care.'

'When I wake up—' Bonnie's question was cut off by an intense pain, worse than the one she felt earlier. She screamed out in agony as she gripped the sheets so tightly that she started to rip them into 'What's happening? Damon?'

'I'm right here, Bon.' She heard Damon murmur before the world went black around her.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Once again, thank you so much for all of the reviews! I honestly appreciate them and it motivates me to continue on. Also, thank you to those who follow and favorite! I appreciate you as well but I would _**love**_ to hear your feedback.

* * *

When Bonnie opened her eyes, her entire body hurt like hell. She attempted to move her arms from their outstretched position only to find herself chained to the bed - or what was left of the bed. As a matter of fact, now that she had the chance to glance around, the entire room looked as if a tornado had torn through it. She grunted in confusion and lay back, attempting to make sense of everything.

'Bon?' A small voice called out from the corner of the room where Caroline sat Indian-Style 'Are you okay?'

'I could be better if I wasn't changed to a bed. What happened?' She asked, frantically pulling at the chains.

Caroline sped over and began to remove the chains from her best friend's arm, 'I've never seen anything like it.' She spoke as if she was in a daze 'We had to, urm,' she paused searching for the correct wording to explain what happened 'subdue you.'

'I can see that but why?' Bonnie sat up, rubbing the pain from her bruised wrists.

'You were levitating and shooting bursts of energy every hour on the hour since you finished the transition,' She replied 'We had to put you in chains or more than the furniture would be destroyed.'

'How long have I been chained? My wrists are on fire.'

'For about a week.' Caroline rushed.

Bonnie's eyes grew wide, 'I've been asleep for a week!'

'Yes, but you were only active that first night. You've been sleeping peacefully since then.'

Bonnie couldn't believe it. How could she have done all of this? 'So, it's over? I'm a vitch?'

'A what?'

'A vampire-witch! Hybrid sounds so Klaus-y.' She giggled.

Caroline joined in her laughter, 'I'm so happy you decided to transition. We're going to get through this, okay?'

'Promise?'

'Promise.'

Bonnie remembered the circumstances of her sudden vampirism and sighed, 'We need to bury Elena.'

'I know,' Caroline sighed as she made her way into the dismantled bed with Bonnie and put her arm around her shoulders 'I still don't understand how this happened.'

Bonnie tensed under Caroline's questioning eyes, unable to tell her the truth other than, 'There was a loophole in our link. I'm guessing that my transition worked against the spell, resulting in her death. I was already dead.'

Caroline sighed, 'That makes sense. I'm going to miss her so much.'

'I always knew that I would never see her again but you—' Bonnie's voice trailed off 'You thought she was coming back, Care. I'm so sorry.'

'I'm just happy that I was able to spend that time with her but I wasn't the only one who thought that I would see her again.' Caroline murmured.

'Where is he?'

'He left out during the night,' Caroline rolled her eyes 'He said that he needed a drink.'

'He's not the only one.' Bonnie sighed.

Caroline leaned over and pulled a blood bag from the nightstand, 'I've got you covered.'

Bonnie laughed as the scent of Damon's Armani cologne traveled into the bedroom. Besides being able to smell him, she could _feel_ him. His energy calling out to hers like a beacon. Clearing her throat, she punctured the bag and began to feed, 'You can come in, Damon.'

'How did you know I was there?" He asked, opening the door and making his way in.

'I'm not sure. I just felt you.' Even saying it was weird to Bonnie but she couldn't explain it.

He raised his eyebrow in suspicion, 'Oh?'

'Oh.'

'Whatever,' He waved the thought off before leaning down and kissing her forehead 'Good morning, Hurricane Bonica Magica.'

'Hurricane?' She asked confused before looking to Caroline.

'Oh yeaaah—' Caroline made her way out of the bed and towards the door in the blink of an eye 'You caused a storm last night and burst the windows out of every car and house on the block, but we're fixing it.' She let out in one breath before speeding out.

'What?'

'You were a force to be reckoned with last night.' Damon sat on the edge of the bed.

Bonnie sat back against the headboard, confused, 'God.'

'Hey, hey, it's okay. Saint Stefan's going around compelling the neighbors and we're having mechanics and contractors go out today and fix all of the damage.'

Bonnie sighed and closed her eyes before Damon began to speak again, 'It wasn't your fault, Bon. You'll get the hang of it.'

'You think so?'

'I know so and besides, I brought you a gift,' Damon said, handing her a small, red, velvet 'It's nothing serious but I figured you could charm it just in case you're unable to walk in the sun. I'm not sue about you vitches.'

Bonnie smiled, opening the box and once she saw the emerald ring staring at her, it grew larger and brighter. She snatched it out of the box and placed it on her finger, 'It's beautiful, Damon.'

'It better be. I paid a small fortune on it.'

Bonnie smirked before closing her eyes and moving her hand over the piece of jewelry, 'Done.'

'You're not going to check if you can walk in the sunlight first?'

'I wouldn't care,' She shrugged 'This ring is gorgeous, Damon.'

'You're welcome.' He smiled at her excitement. He watched as she held her hand out away from her face and brought it back in awe. This wasn't the same hopeless girl from a week ago and he was thankful 'Come on.'

'Where are we going?' Bonnie asked as she swung her bare legs over the side of the bed and stood up.

'You have a lot to learn today and I,' He bowed, 'Am your teacher, so go get dressed and meet me downstairs in ten minutes.'

'Can I take a bath?'

'No point. You're about to get dirty anyway. He smirked, standing up from the bed and making his way out of the room, leaving Bonnie alone with her thoughts.

'Damon?' Damon cringed and paused mid-stride before turning around to face his brother.

'Is that you, little brother?' He drawled as he walked over to Stefan with his arms open 'You've grown so much since the last time I saw you. Give your brother a hug!' He pulled the reluctant young Salvatore in to his arms for a brief second before releasing him and continuing his trek towards the kitchen.

'Damon.' Stefan repeated, this time, letting Damon know that he was being serious.

He turned around to face his brother once more, 'I would love to stay and chat but I'm sort of busy now.'

'We need to talk.' Stefan interjected, nodding towards the library 'Come on.'

Damon stomped his foot like a petulant child and whined, 'I don't want to talk about it.'

'But I do. Have a seat,' Stefan sighed, holding the door open as the elder Salvatore entered the room and closing it behind the pair.

'You would think that I was the older brother and you were the younger.' Damon huffed as he sauntered over to his favorite bottle of bourbon and began to make himself a drink.

'Because you're a child,' Stefan stood at his brother's side 'You've been avoiding me, Damon.'

Damon rolled his eyes, 'I've only been away for a little over—'

'Six months. You've been gone for six months.'

'I needed some time alone, brother.' Damon avoid all alone time and conversation with Stefan for this specific reason. His life was twisted on its head a week ago and he hadn't been in the mood to have a come to Stefan conversation but he knew that it was inevitable. He went a little under six months without managing one run-in with his brother; coming to the boarding house and grabbing clothes only when he was completely sure that Stefan was gone.

'You're not the only one who suffered a loss, Damon.' Stefan placed a hand on his shoulder.

Damon stepped out of his reach and flopped on to the couch, 'Did the love of your life die, Stefan?'

'I loved Elena once before, brother. You forget that we are quite literally soulmates.'

'How could I forget?' Damon chuckled 'I always seem to get the short-end of the stick when it comes to us and girls.'

'I'm not saying that, I'm saying' Stefan sighed and for the first time, Damon allowed himself to put himself in his little brother's shoes, 'Elena mended our relationship, Damon. She may have also come between it but she's the reason I got my big brother back. For that, I will love her forever.'

Damon smiled at his brother then. He was right, Elena brought them from a time where they couldn't stand to be in the same room let alone city with each other to a point where they would gladly go to hell and back for one another, 'That she did, brother.'

'But I know how you grieve—' Stefan took the seat next to Damon 'And Elena wouldn't want you to punish yourself, she'd want you to live.'

He knew Stefan was hinting at his humanity, 'If you're afraid that I'm going to turn it off again, you have nothing to worry about. I can't turn it off again.'

'What do you mean, you can't?'

'I can't.' He said, pointing towards the bedroom that Bonnie had taken over.

Stefan smiled, 'Good. But how are you going to help her?'

'I'll figure it out.'

Stefan's eyes widened, 'Figure it out? Did you feel that the other night?'

Did he feel it? It was hard not to miss it. He could feel Bonnie's magic licking against every object it touched, including his skin as he lay in the bed with her and she writhed against his chest. Once she calmed down and he went out to have a drink, the essence of her power still stung. It unnerved him because he knew that if he could feel it, other super naturals could.

'She's powerful, that's for sure.'

'How are we going to contain that?' Stefan whispered.

Damon thought about the question for a second, 'She's going to have to mask her powers somehow. I'm not sure right now, brother but I can't give up on her.'

'You don't know the first thing about magic, how can you help?'

'You wound me, brother. I've had my share of witches and while I may not know everything about magic,' He started 'I know Bonnie Bennett.'

'This is not something that we can take lightly, Damon.'

'Don't you think that I know that?' He bit out.

'People will come for her—'

'Just like people have come for us and she's been there? Let them come,' Damon grew annoyed and decided that it was time to end the conversation. He stood up, made it to the door, and yelled behind him 'I'll rip their hearts out before they can come near her.'

* * *

Bennett-Salvatore

* * *

'Lesson number one,' Damon circled Bonnie who had come down stairs five minutes prior clad in black tights, a black t-shirt, and her black Doc Martens. He put down his glass of bourbon and shook his head in approval 'Control.'

'Control?'

'Yes, control. To be specific, controlling your emotions,' He stopped pacing and stood in front of her 'I need you to promise me something before we begin.'

'What?'

'Promise me that you'll be completely honest with me throughout this process and if anything becomes too much, tell me. Whatever you're feeling—'

'Tell you?'

'That's my girl,' He smirked 'All vampires get the same basic spiel when they turn: Don't go into the sunlight without your ring,' He glanced down at the ring he purchased for her 'IF you choose to feed from a human, remember to snatch and erase.'

Bonnie scrunched her nose and interjected, 'I don't know if I can do this.'

'Then what will you do? Drink Bambi cocktails with Stefan?' Damon chuckled 'We're vampires, Bon. We have to feed for strength.'

'But what if I can't stop myself?' She whined, thinking back to the way the blood bag satisfied her, leaving her wanting for more.

'That's why this lesson about control is the most important.'

Bonnie snorted, 'I'm in control of my emotions.'

'Last week, you were one step away from wiping out our entire town.' Damon deadpanned.

Bonnie rolled her eyes at his exaggeration. He chuckled at the gesture while she shifted her weight from one leg to another, 'It wasn't that bad.'

'Have you ever heard of Hurricane Katrina?'

'Now,' Bonnie swatted his arm 'You're being an ass. What do I need to learn?'

'It's not what you need to learn; it's what you need to feel.'

'Mm, you're so deep.' She snapped her fingers and swayed as her words dripped with sarcasm.

'Oh, baby, you have no idea how deep I can get.' He remarked, wiggling his eyebrows.

'And I don't want to find out,' She giggled 'Continue with the lesson.'

'Oh, yeah, right. Your emotions are a big part of who you are as a witch, correct?'

'Yes.'

'It's the same, if not worse, when you're a vampire. You feel strongly about everything because everything is heightened, you know? Love is more powerful,' he paused and stared at Bonnie as she took everything in 'Beautiful things are somehow more beautiful to you.'

She glanced around the room filled with Salvatore antiques and paid attention to the design of every single piece. It was like she was looking at everything through new eyes. Colors were more intense and vivid. She noticed the small details in everything around her. When she turned her attention bac to Damon, it was the blue of his irises that caught her attention, 'I think-I think that I've got it.'

He smirked; not failing to notice that she was looking him directly in the eye, 'It can also heighten unwanted emotions, unwanted feelings,' he sighed, while counting off with his fingers 'Anger turns into rage. When you're sad, you're in complete despair: Grief, loss,' Damon stopped and had to catch himself. he was naming all of the emotions that were clashing within him 'it can cripple you and break you, or you can try to fight it but it's hard. I won't lie and say it's not, life is more intense.'

'I can handle it.'

'You think you can but it's going to be different from you, Bon,' He looked at Bonnie 'You will feel everything more vividly. Whatever you felt strongly about before transition-'

'Is going to be what I lose control over now?'

'Correct again.'

'Is that why vampires turn off their humanity? It's easier.'

'Bingo! The vitch is paying attention! When it gets overwhelming, it's relaxing to know that you can shut the bad feelings out.'

'Oh,' Bonnie shook her head with understanding. It hadn't even been a full 24-hours since Damon turned his humanity back on, she couldn't help but to wonder how he was feeling now that the intensity of vampire emotions were no longer foreign to her 'Are you okay?'

He couldn't help but to laugh at the question. When Stefan pried, he felt as if he was under a microscope but with Bonnie, talking came naturally. He felt that he could tell her anything and she would understand, or at least try to, due to the bond they formed on the other side.

'Am I okay?' Damon whistled 'My girlfriend is dead and my best friend is now a part of the undead; I couldn't be better.'

His words about vampires and their overwhelming emotions filled her mind and she hung her head, compelled to ask, 'Have you thought about cutting it back off?'

'I'm going to tell you like I told Stefan,' Damon hesitated. He couldn't deny the fact that the night before while full of bourbon he wondered if he would be better off as a monster than the broken man he had become 'I'm not going to turn it off.'

'We both lost her—' Bonnie's voice cracked 'Even after making peace with never seeing her again, this hurts. I feel like I'm to blame. I feel like you guys will wake up one morning and blame me for not taking better care of myself. I feel like-'

'I don't and won't blame you,' As much as he missed Elena, he knew that he made a mistake to blame Bonnie for their situation when she was just as much a victim to Kai's sick plot as Elena. If anything, he blamed himself for allowing Kai to live long enough to cause a problem 'I'm sorry that I blamed you before but don't beat yourself up. Grief is one of those pesky emotions that will sneak up on you and make you drink the entire bottle of the good bourbon.'

Bonnie laughed, leaning into his side, 'Should we have another funeral?'

'I don't think so. For now, she's safe in the family crypt' Damon shook his head in disagreement 'The people who mattered got to say goodbye directly to her before and she would want us to keep it like that.'

'Someone needs to tell Jeremy.'

'If he doesn't already know.'

'I'll call him.'

'No!' Damon spat. For some reason, the thought of Bonnie having any sort of communication with Baby Gilbert made him feel- weird, for lack of better wording 'I'll get Stefan to call.'

'Okay,' Bonnie lay her head on his shoulder 'I do have to tell him that I'm a vampire.'

'I think that we should keep that information a secret for now. We still have to figure out a way to cloak your powers.'

'I still don't understand why I have to cloak them.'

Damon rolled his eyes dramatically, 'It's for your protection.'

She sighed, 'I'm not a damsel in distress, Damon.'

'You're not,' He stated simply 'But you are valuable, with or without your vampirism, and protecting you is my main priority right now.'

'Even as a vampire, I can't catch a break,' She sighed, standing up 'I'll check Gram's grimoire.'

'Soon.' Damon said with finality.

'Soon. Now, can I go back to bed? All of this magic-vamp talk has made me sleepy.'

'I'm surprised that you're taking all of this so well.'

'There's nothing that I can do,' Bonnie smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes 'I can't sit around in self-pity, I have to make this work.'

And that's when Damon decided that he would do the same. Stefan was right, Elena would want him to live and that's what he was determined to do. He stood, offering his hand to Bonnie who took it and stood beside him 'Where are we going now?'

'I'm going to get you a blood bag and you're going to go upstairs and nap. We'll continue this lesson later, Baby Vamp.'

She smiled as she walked towards the steps, 'Okay.'


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** Once again, thank you so much for all of the reviews! I honestly appreciate them and it motivates me to continue on. Also, thank you to those who follow and favorite! I appreciate you as well but I would _**love**_ to hear your feedback.

* * *

When Bonnie woke that afternoon, she felt much better than she did that morning. Her body still ached and her gums throbbed but she wasn't chained to the bed so she sat up, stretched her arms, and counted her blessings. The boarding house was silent other than the whisper of Caroline's voice. Bonnie realized that the blonde and Stefan were downstairs, watching the 'Notebook', and of course, Caroline was near tears.

'I want a love like that.' Caroline whispered.

Stefan scoffed, 'What about me?'

'What we have is special, Stefan and I love you, but-' Caroline hesitated. Bonnie didn't need her to finish the sentence to understand what was implied because she felt the same. Sure, she could fall in love but she would never grow old with her husband. She would never have children. She would never live the life that, prior to a week ago, had been inevitable. It was a lot to take in but something that she needed to come to terms with.

Throwing her feet over the side of the bed, she tip-toed into Damon's bathroom that, luckily, wasn't trashed. She craved a long, hot, bubble bath and Damon's bath tub seemed like the perfect size to wash her worries away in. As she ran the water, she shed her bra and panties like dead skin before sinking into the steaming water; sighing as she lay her head back, closed her eyes, and let the bubbles cover her naked form.

After soaking for more than an hour, she was sure that she was no longer a woman but a prune. Slowly, she made her way out of the bathtub and stood in front of the mirror. Wiping a single-hand across the glass, she caught one glimpse of herself and sighed.

Clad in nothing but a dark towel that she had taken from Damon's closet, her hair was a mess of damp curls falling to the middle of her back that resembled the unruly mane of a lion and her normally caramel skin was pale with dark circles beneath her dim eyes.

She looked as dead as she felt.

Sighing, she grabbed a new toothbrush from out of the closet as well as some facial cream that she recognized as belonging to Elena and began to clean herself up the best she could. As she was drying her hair, a sweet, masculine scent filled her nostrils, halting her movements entirely. It wasn't the cologne that she was used to but, for some reason, it reminded her of Damon. All at once, a strange feeling of warmth enveloped her and she wanted to revel in it. She turned her attention from the mysterious fragrance to her reflection in the mirror, yelping as she ran her fingers over the circles beneath her eyes where dark veins were now throbbing, 'What the fuck?'

No sooner than the words left her mouth, the door to the bathroom was thrown open, replaced with a frantic looking Damon, 'What's wrong?'

'What are you doing? Where did you come from?' She screeched, clutching the towel to her chest.

'I was coming to check on you but when I heard you scream, I thought something was wrong.'

'Nothing's wrong!' She lied. Something was wrong but Bonnie couldn't explain it. Now that Damon was standing before her, she was sure that the scent from earlier was an extension of him. His scent had always been pleasant but for some reason, it was eliciting a different response from her mind and body. As it filled her nostrils, her mind became fogged and she felt as if she was floating on a bed of clouds. Hell, she couldn't focus on anything else. She wanted to curl up in the warmth of his scent and latch on to it forever.

'But you screamed.' He said, plainly. Pulling her from her thoughts.

'I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just-' She ran a nervous hand through her hair 'I'm just getting used to everything.'

'Good that's another reason that I came up here,' He looked her up and down suspiciously; not believing her lie but not wanting to press her any harder than he had to 'I'm taking you out for some training. Are you up for drinks?'

 _No!_ Her mind screamed but she couldn't form the words. Could she handle being around him right now? His smell alone was driving her up the damned wall. She couldn't tell him that, though. He wouldn't let her live it down, 'I don't think that's a good idea, Damon.'

He raised an eyebrow, walking over to where she stood in front of the mirror, 'Is something wrong?'

 _Yes, how close you are to me right now is a problem._ The words were on the tip of her tongue but once again, she couldn't formulate a proper response other than, 'No! Stop asking.'

'I know when something's bothering you, Bon,' He grabbed her wrist and turned her around to face him instead of talking to her reflection in the mirror 'Tell the truth. That was the promise you made.'

'I'm working on the spell and I think that I should stay home and finish that.' Lie number two.

'I thought you started on it earlier?'

'I did.'

'Then finish it and meet me at the Grille in one hour,' He said, turning and walking towards the bathroom door 'I'm paying. Don't make me wait, Bennett.'

* * *

Bennett-Salvatore

* * *

'Thank God.'

Bonnie visibly relaxed as she entered the practically empty Grille. She silently thanked God that having someone instead of a drink was no longer such a temptation as she feared on the way over from the boarding house. Normally, the Grille was packed to the max, a mixture of college students and residents rushing in to catch a quick bite before returning to their busy lives. She wasn't sure what was different about tonight but she wanted to kiss every single person in Mystic Falls for having a life outside of the Grille.

Still, she contemplated turning around and running full-speed back to the boarding house until she heard Damon's voice from across the room, 'Nice dress. Hot date tonight?'

'Very funny.' She deadpanned, before using her senses to find their table. Inhaling, she choked; his scent and the bourbon he loved to consume were so potent, it almost knocked her on her ass. Still, she followed it around the restaurant until she found him, sitting alone in a booth.

'How nice of you to grace us with your presence, Vampire Queen!' He gestured to the seat across from him 'Please, have a seat.'

She glared at him, sliding in to the booth, 'Don't be an asshole.'

'I don't understand what you mean.' Damon flashed his infamous smirk before picking up the menu that lay in front of him.

'You understand perfectly what I mean.'

'Should I get the cheeseburger or the chicken strips?'

Bonnie scoffed, 'Don't be condescending. We both know that nothing on that menu is worth your time or mine.'

Damon put the menu down, taking a moment to note Bonnie's attitude, 'Someone's in a bad mood.'

'I've been in a bad mood since I woke up as a damned vampire. Me being out in public, fighting the urge to eat the waiter is just the icing on the cake.' She bit out, picking up her own menu.

He stared at her for a moment, unsure of what to say, before the waitress came to take their orders, breaking the silence that was a result of Bonnie's admission.

Once the blonde-haired waitress, Lauren - who Damon compelled to get lost after taking their orders and returning with their food - made her way across the room, he turned his attention back to Bonnie. She noticed his glare and immediately closed her eyes in frustration, refusing to make eye contact with him. His scent was becoming overwhelming and the more she looked at him, the harder it became to sit there. She knew that they were here for what Damon referred to as 'in the field' training, but she wasn't sure of how much longer she could restrain herself.

Damon sat his glass back on the table and sat back, 'Are you going to tell me what's wrong or do I have to play the guessing game with you?'

He sat back but his gaze didn't leave hers. She couldn't keep lying to him but she didn't know exactly how to tell him. She sighed, 'I just didn't know the spell would take so much out of me.'

'We're friends, right?' He asked, his eyebrow raised.

Bonnie snorted, 'I would hardly call a bunch of phone conversations and sleepovers a friendship.' She deadpanned.

Damon smiled at her sarcasm, 'God, I sound like a teenage girl.' He paused 'Or Stefan.'

'You are a teenage girl for asking something like that.' Bonnie laughed, relaxing slightly.

'Come on, Bon, admit it' His smirk grew 'I'm like a fever you can't shake.'

How ironic, she thought. That's exactly how he was making her feel now, 'If I wasn't your friend, Damon, I wouldn't be here with you after everything you've done.'

It was Damon's turn to avoid her gaze, his lips pinched and guilt playing out through his features. He'd done so much wrong but nothing would compare to the monster he'd allowed himself to become over the previous six months, 'I know.'

'Okay, then.'

'I actually thought about getting the memories taken before I turned it off,' He paused, staring into the bottom of the bourbon glass, looking at nothing but allowing the shock to settle with Bonnie 'I could've avoided everything but I chose to feel, knowing that, that type of pain would turn me into a monster.'

'So, why did you do it?' Bonnie asked.

'I knew that you would be the one to get me back,' He smiled, weakly, and finally looked into her eyes. She never saw him look so broken before and it tore her, 'I didn't expect it to happen like this but I needed to feel it all to let it go.'

Bonnie watched him carefully before speaking, 'Damon, where are you going with this?'

'I know that I've made some pretty shitty decisions recently but you-' He paused 'I need you to know and understand that I would never intentionally hurt you. if anything, I want to protect you. Not because of the promise that I made to Emily but because you are my best friend. Do you know that?'

'I don't need protecting.'

'That's not what I asked,' He sat forward, those bright-blue eyes flashing wildly, showing his seriousness 'Do you know that I will protect you?'

She sighed, shaking her head, 'I do.'

'You and Stefan have the same annoying effect on me. I cherish you and your opinion,' He stated simply 'So, either you can tell me what's really bothering you or I will hound you all night for an answer but either way, I am going to figure it out. because now you are starting to bother me.'

He stared into Bonnie's eyes as if he had the ability to look directly into her soul. He searched her features for a clue, anything to help him understand what was going on behind those forest-green eyes.

She shrunk under the penetration of his gaze, realizing that she couldn't run from this. She checked the grimoire over and over for any piece of information on why she was so - attracted to Damon's scent. Why she feened his presence - but she couldn't find anything. Maybe the best thing to do was to tell him the truth, 'Damon, I-' She stopped mid-sentence, staring at the man who appeared at Damon's side seemingly out of thin air.

'Bonnie.'

'Jeremy-' Bonnie started in confusion 'What are you doing here? I thought you were away at school.'

'Yeah, Gilbert,' Damon looked up from his drink 'I thought you were away coloring or something?'

Jeremy mugged Damon for a moment before turning his attention to Bonnie as she stood up and he took her in his arms, 'I got a call from Caroline telling me to come home. What's going on?'

He released Bonnie and she wanted to disappear. She didn't want to be the one to tell Jeremy that Elena was dead. She knew that this could happen but hoped that she had a little more time to figure everything out, 'Jer, can we talk about this later? It's complicated.'

'It's actually quite simple-' Damon mumbled into his bourbon glass, Bonnie cut her eyes in his direction 'I'm going to let you handle this. I'm not nearly drunk enough.'

'I'm sorry, Jer,' She sighed 'Elena's dead.'

He stumbled back, eyeing Bonnie as if she had grown a second head, 'But how? What happened?'

Bonnie turned to Damon, silently pleading for his assistance. He stood up and put his hand on Jeremy's shoulder, 'I'm sorry, Little Gilbert. It's a long story but not one for tonight.'

'I asked Bonnie,' Jeremy spat as he moved out of Damon's grasp and towards Bonnie 'Even though I'm sure he had something to do with it, what happened, Bonnie?'

She sighed and grabbed Jeremy's arm, 'Come. We'll talk.'

Damon stepped forward, shaking his head, 'I don't think that's a good idea.'

Bonnie ignored Damon's disapproval and continued towards the bathrooms, leading Jeremy into the women's, 'Come in and close the door behind you,' She checked the stalls to make sure that they were alone before whispering a spell and locking the door. She leaned against the sink for support. 'Ask away.'

'What's going on?' His voice was full of emotion as he took a step towards her, clenching and unclenching his fists, 'I'm confused. I come home and find out that not only are you home but my sister is dead which doesn't make sense. You're alive so she should still be in a coma.'

'Jeremy, I'm so sorry. I really am-'

'Enough!' He yelled, grabbing her arm 'Tell me what happened! Why are you alive and she's not?'

'Because I'm not!' She screeched, attempting to push away from him, 'I'm not alive. I've transitioned.'

Jeremy gripped her tighter, forcing her to look at him. She noticed that the warm eyes she once was in love with were clouded over with hurt and what seemed to be rage. She swallowed and looked away, 'What the hell did you do?'

'I didn't do anything! There was an accident-'

'An accident?' Jeremy bit out 'You're full of shit! You did this on purpose.'

Bonnie looked at Jeremy and it was like she was seeing him for the first time. She was stunned that he would imply she asked for this to happen, 'Do you think that I wanted this? To become this? You know me, Jer.'

'Do I?' Jeremy rolled his eyes 'I always knew that you were jealous of her.'

'Jealous?' Bonnie couldn't believe her ears.

'She sacrificed herself for you and you still found a way to get her out of the picture with him.'

'Are you serious? How could you think that I would do something like that? Elena was my best friend.'

'Yeah. Some best friend you are.'

'I didn't do anything! I didn't ask Kai to link my life to Elena's. I didn't want any of this to happen, Jer. You have to believe me.'

'This _is_ your fault! You and Damon think you're so slick but everyone noticed how you two were after returning. Why else would Kai link your life to Elena's?'

'This is not on me, Jer.'

'I've lost my sister, my only living relative,' Jeremy paused and Bonnie closed her eyes in disbelief. How could he blame her for something that was out of her hands? Jeremy began to speak again, his voice low and menacing 'I should've let you die in that gara-' With a flick of her wrist, she had him pinned against the wall.

Her eyes shut as rage filled her veins, boiling her blood. When she opened them again, Jeremy gasped. Her eyes were snow white with black veins snaking along her cheeks, 'What the hell, Bonnie?'

'How dare you.' Bonnie bit out, lifting her hand and closing it as Jeremy began to squirm against the wall, pain spreading throughout his chest.

'Bonnie-' He said, attempting to breathe 'I-I'm sorry.'

'You're sorry?' Bonnie cackled as she tightened the grip her magic had on his heart and made her way closer to him, smiling the entire time 'Oh, (i)sweetheart, I am too. This is going to hurt.'

Jeremy screamed as her fangs sunk into the side of his neck while her magic retained its hold on him, rendering him immobile. She moaned against his throat as the warm blood flowed into her mouth and pooled in the pit of her stomach. It was her first time feeding from the vein and she could understand why Stefan had the tendency to over-indulge. She didn't want to stop, not even as Damon banged on the door behind her. His pleas fell on deaf ears until she felt herself being torn away from Jeremy.

Damon rushed to his side, bit into his wrist and pressed it against his mouth, urging him to drink. She looked down at the arms that were wrapped around her and recognized Caroline's perfectly manicured nails, 'Let me go, Care.'

'Not until you get a freaking grip, Bonnie Bennett!' She hissed, tightening her grip as Matt walked in to the already crowded bathroom, surveying the damage before looking at Bonnie and stumbling back in surprise 'Bonnie, your eyes.'

'What the hell, Bonnie?' Damon looked up at her, wild-eyed and confused.

'Isn't this your idea of in the field training? The old feed and erase?' Bonnie spat 'Well, I fed, professor. Lesson one complete.'

'You almost killed him, Bonnie.'

Bonnie glanced down at the floor and into Jeremy's frightened eyes which pulled her out of the trance she was in. Slowly, her eyes returned to their natural color and she began to shake profusely, falling to her knees, 'W-What am I doing?'

Damon stood up, 'Blondie, get Jeremy out of here. I've got Bonnie.'

'No!' Bonnie shook her head, moving away from him until she felt the cold, concrete wall behind her 'I have to- I need to go.'

Without another word, Bonnie sped out of the Grille covered in Jeremy's blood. She raced to her car and through every red light that dared to get in her way. She needed to put as much distance as possible between herself and the Grille. She ran in to the boarding house and up the stairs, two by two, making sure to avoid Stefan's curious glance as she made her way into Damon's bedroom, locking the door behind her. After spelling the room, she fell to the floor and sobbed. The tears wrecked through her as she cried for herself, for Elena, and for Jeremy.

She cried because she was a monster.

She cried because she almost killed him.

She cried because she didn't think that she would ever be able to come to terms with her vampirism.

Thirty minutes later, she heard Damon's boots against the floor as he walked down the hallway towards the bedroom, ignoring Stefan's spell of questions, 'Bonnie?' He called out to her gently from the other side of the bedroom door 'I know that you can hear me. Talk to me.'

She lifted the spell on the room and whispered, 'Damon, I can't do this.'

He leaned his forehead against the door, 'Yes, you can and you will.'

She brought her knees to her chest, banging against the floorboards with the palm of her hands, 'I can't. He was right. It's all my fault. I should've died in the prison world.'

'Don't you ever say that again.' He growled.

'I could've killed him!' She cried 'You don't understand.'

'And I have killed him!' Damon chuckled 'I've been a vampire for longer than you've been alive, Bon. Don't ever think I don't understand.'

'You don't! Just leave me alone.'

'Listen to me and listen to me well. I'm not leaving you alone. You made a mistake but it's not the end of the world. We can work through it.'

Bonnie grew silent, taking his words in to consideration, 'I'm scared, Damon.'

'You'd be a fool not to be but do you trust me?'

'I do.'

'Then trust that I will help you get through this and you will learn to control yourself. I just need you to trust me and let me in.' He pleaded with her.

Bonnie sighed, 'Okay.'

'Good,' Damon smiled, feeling accomplished 'I'm your spiritual guide, Bon-Bon.'

'Spiritual guide?' She giggled, wiping the tears from her face with the sleeve of her blouse.

'Yes. Now, open the door.'

When Bonnie opened the door, she wasn't expecting Damon to be standing there looking so... concerned. She smiled weakly as he opened his arms for an embrace and she sheepishly went into them. His scent filled her nostrils and she relaxed in his arms. The guilt she once felt was instantly replaced but something... more. She couldn't put her finger on but it warmed the pit of her stomach and she liked the feeling. Damon kissed the top of her head before pulling back, 'Good girl. Let's get you cleaned up before I decide to go take a bite out of Baby Gilbert, too.'

'Not funny, Damon,' She pouted 'I don't want to hurt people.'

'And you won't. It just takes time to learn your limits and how not to act off pure emotion. That's what I'm here for.' He said, as he walked around the corner and the sound of water running filled the air.

Bonnie thought about what he said for a moment before following him into the bathroom as the scent of her bubble bath filled the air, 'Thank you, Damon.'

He smiled at her, 'Why are you thanking me? I ran this for me but you are welcome to join me.' He wiggled his eyebrows.

She giggled, 'Please leave.'

'It's nothing that I haven't seen.'

She sighed in exasperation, 'I need this time to myself, Damon. No bathroom talks tonight.'

'Slumber party?' He asked, as she pushed him out of the bathroom and into the open space of the bedroom.

Bonnie looked at him and realized that, that may be the best thing for her right now, 'Yes. Give me 30 minutes and I pick the movie.'

'It's a deal.' He smirked, walking out of the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

She stripped out of the filthy clothes, tearing them from her petite body and sunk into the scorching bath water, sighing with content, 'Thank you, Damon.'


	7. Chapter 7

'Is this necessary?' Bonnie curled her legs beneath her and she sat down on the Salvatore couch, clutching her new drink of choice - warm blood and tequila - as Caroline flopped down next to her, holding a bowl of popcorn.

'Is it necessary, she asks like a loon.' Caroline sung, offering the bowl of popcorn to Bonnie who declined. After a week of actively avoiding everyone and screening calls, Caroline managed to coax Bonnie out of the boarding house library and into the living room for a mandatory girl's night. 'It is completely necessary. I feel like I haven't spoken to you in months.'

'You're being overdramatic.' She rolled her eyes and picked up a piece of popcorn, tossing it at Caroline's head. 'It's been a week.'

'Do you know how long a week is in a friendship?' Caroline caught the piece of popcorn and dipped it into Bonnie's mug.

'Hey!'

'You're being overdramatic.' Caroline mocked, popping the piece of popcorn into her mouth. 'Do you know how hard it was to get the boys out of the house tonight?'

'I'm sure with the promise of liquor, their protests were minimum.'

'Damon hasn't touched alcohol since you've been locked away, Rapunzel.'

'What?' Bonnie's eyes widened in surprise. 'No bourbon? You've got to be kidding me.'

'Not even a drop!' Caroline sat up on her knees and turned to face Bonnie, the international sign that Caroline Forbes was ready to gossip. 'What's going on between the two of you?'

Her bluntness caught Bonnie off guard and she nearly spit out her blood-tequila mixture. 'What are you talking about?'

Caroline placed the popcorn bowl on the table in front of them. 'Not that I don't think that he deserves the cold shoulder, he does, but I was sure that even if you pushed everyone else away, you'd still talk to Damon. I thought he was helping you.'

Bonnie sighed, realizing that there was nothing she could do to avoid having this discussion with Caroline. 'I've just been working through some things on my own, Care. This is all still new to me.'

Which was part of the reason she had holed herself up in the library. Truthfully, Damon was the person that she intended to avoid while Caroline and Stefan were simply innocent bystanders. Since that night in the Grille, she felt the need to distance herself from him until she figured out what was transpiring inside of her.

When she climbed into the bed with Damon after her bath, he had the Bodyguard ready to play and a bottle of bourbon to share between the two of them. Sharing the bed and being in such proximity to Damon no longer made her uncomfortable, in fact, it felt natural. His presence, in the prison world, brought a sense of normalcy but now, she felt like she was going insane. Not only was she attracted to his scent, foreign feelings flooded her mind and she could feel him, even though he wasn't touching her. The experience was enough to scare Bonnie into hiding, searching the grimoires for answers which were not there.

'You sure?'

'I'm sure, Caro.'

'Can you tell him that because he's been so worried about you that he's been moping, worrying Stefan.' Caroline rolled her eyes.

'Oh, please. Stefan is a natural worrier.' Bonnie laughed.

'That he is.' Caroline cosigned. 'But he thinks that Damon is beating himself up over your transition, and once again, I want him to, but it's weird. Stefan is afraid that he may turn it off again.'

Bonnie frowned, 'He's not. He promised me that he wouldn't.'

'It wouldn't be the first time he went back on a promise, Bon.'

'I know but it's not entirely his fault that I'm like this. He couldn't have known that this would happen.'

'Bonnie, he force-fed you his blood with the intention of killing you and because of that stupid loophole, it actually worked.'

'That's not how the loophole works, Care.' Bonnie's mouth slammed shut and she instantly wished that she could compel Caroline to forget her last sentence because, like a shark to the scent of blood, she was on it.

'Well, how does it work? And does it have something to do with the accident you asked Stefan to tell Damon you were in?' Caroline whispered harshly.

'I told Stefan to keep it to himself.'

'You said it yourself, he's a worrier and he was worried about you. He was worried that there was something you weren't telling and us, and Bonnie, I feel the same. What's going on?'

'Care-'

'Bonnie, what's going on?' Caroline pleaded. 'I want to believe everything is fine with you and you're dealing but you're not giving me anything to work with. You've been locked in that damned library for a week and I feel like my best friend is fading.'

'Because I am!' Bonnie shouted, closing her eyes and cracking the mug. 'I feel like I am losing my damned mind.'

'Then talk to me.'

'What good will talking do? I'm a vampire, Caroline!' The implications of that sentence alone were enough to sum up her problems. Bonnie opened her eyes and turned to her friend. 'I am a Bennett witch and a vampire. I am one of the last of my line and I can't continue our legacy.'

'I understand, Bonnie. I do.'

'You don't! You sit around and blame Damon but it's my fault,' Bonnie stood up, placed the cracked mug on the table and moved towards the fireplace where a picture of Elena and Damon sat on the mantle. She sighed and turned to Caroline who was watching her intently. 'If I tell you this, you cannot tell Damon.'

'Tell me.'

Bonnie took a deep breath, letting the words leave her as she exhaled. 'You know, if I would've known that I would turn into a vampire-witch thing because my humanity-less best friend force-fed me his blood during a spell to stop my heart and wake Elena, I wouldn't have done it. Especially now, because I can't stop thinking about him and his scent is driving me absolutely bat shit but you live and you learn, right?'

'You did what?' Caroline screeched as she sped over to where Bonnie stood, horror etched into her features. 'How could you?'

'Let me explain, Care.'

'Bonnie, no. What the fuck?'

Bonnie turned and pointed at the picture of Elena and Damon. 'Look at them, Caroline. There was no way that I could compete with that. It was only a matter of time before Damon realized the mistake he made and really killed me.'

'Have you lost your mind, Bennett? It's not your fucking job to placate Damon and Elena at the expense of your own life nor should you feel indebted to him for choosing to live.'

'I would've done the same for any of you, Caroline.'

'And that's the problem!' Caroline scoffed. 'We are friends, Bonnie, but you shouldn't have to continuously sacrifice yourself for us.'

'But Damon-'

'Is a fucking vampire with no expiration date. God, he waited one-hundred and forty-five years for Katherine, he could've waited another fifty for Elena.'

'He wouldn't have made it.'

'I don't care!' Caroline cried. 'What about you, huh? What about Bonnie making it? What about the people that care about you and need you? Do you know how pathetic you sound? This isn't Bonnie Bennett.'

Caroline's words burned like vervain and Bonnie bowed her head as the blonde grabbed her hand and continued. 'You are my sister, Bonnie, and I am terrified of losing you. Your life is worth so much more than some toxic ass relationship.'

Bonnie squeezed Caroline's hand. 'I'm so sorry, Caroline. You're not going to lose me.'

'Only because we're cursed to spend forever together!' Caroline laughed through her tears. 'Your life is valuable and if you do something like this again, I am going to kill you myself. Understand?'

'I understand.' Bonnie smiled weakly, wiping her own tears and pulling Caroline into a hug.

'You're alright?' Caroline breathed, putting Bonnie at arm's length and eyeing her.

'I am but please, don't tell Stefan or Damon.'

'I won't.' Caroline shook her head in agreement.

'Good,' Bonnie relaxed. 'Now, can we continue our girl's night? I was looking forward to watching Fifty Shades.'

Caroline smiled, moving back to her spot on the sofa. 'That Christian Grey is something else but I would rather hear about what that Salvatore scent is doing to you.'

Bonnie covered her face with her hands and sat down next to Caroline, blushing like a high school freshman. 'I don't know what to tell you. I can't explain it.'

'When did it start?'

'After I completed the transition. I woke up and it was like I could feel him all around me even if he was nowhere near me and there's this pull, almost like we're connected.'

Caroline moved to the edge of the seat, once again ready to milk Bonnie for all the information she could get. 'Do tell me more.'

'I was using his towel to dry off and I-I don't know. It was just strange,' Bonnie could almost feel the towel against her skin and his scent wrapping around her as if he was standing directly in front of her. 'It was orgasmic.'

'Bonnie!'

The sound of Caroline's disgusted screech drew her out of her daze and she laughed. 'Sorry, Care.'

'Let me ask you something.'

Bonnie tensed, preparing herself for Caroline's question. 'I'm afraid but fire away.'

'Before you transitioned, how did you feel about Damon?'

'I'm not sired to him, if that's what you're thinking.'

'You may not be but it does sound like you two are bonded. So, once again, how do you feel about Damon?'

How did she feel about Damon? She couldn't explain it. For lack of better words, it was complicated. When she first met him, she hated him. She hated everything about him. She hated his smirk, his smart-ass remarks, and his mysterious demeanor, but by an odd stroke of fate - or her horrible luck - she was stuck with him for four months and he became her constant. She began to depend on that smirk and his sarcasm to get her through their time on the other side and while there, something happened.

Something blossomed between the two of them.

Something deeper than any one on the outside could see due to it being perfectly tailored to fit their relationship.

Bonnie chewed her bottom lip as Caroline stared at her, waiting for an answer. 'But what kind of bond? If I'm not sired, what am I?'

'Well, you were supernatural before transitioning, it may be affecting you differently.'

'I've been checking the grimoires for an answer but there's nothing there.'

'Think about it, Bon,' Caroline sighed. 'You're one of one. You're the one meant to put it in there.'

She was right. Witches are servants of nature while a vampire is an abomination. You could either be one or the other, never both, but here she was, a hybrid. 'Okay, but what would my feelings about Damon have to do with the bond?'

'It's kind of simple once you think about it,' Bonnie rolled her eyes at Caroline's vagueness. 'I'm sure that Damon gave you the entire heightened emotions spiel.'

'He did.'

'When you're in love-'

'I'm not in love with Damon.' Bonnie rushed, turning away from Caroline. When the words left her mouth, the thought of being in love with Damon sent a sensation down her spine.

Caroline, clearly not phased, waved Bonnie's words off. 'Of course, you can't see it.'

'See what?' Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

'It's just that, well, you're definitely in love with him.'

Bonnie laughed nervously, looking at Caroline and waiting for her to join in and when she didn't, she frowned. 'You can't be serious. He's in love with Elena.'

'You may not want to admit it because of that but think about it. When you returned from '94, he was the first person you sought out.'

'That's my best friend, Care.'

'You made him freaking pancakes! Bonnie, look, I was your best friend before we could even spell best friend. I know you.'

'I don't know what you want me to say.'

'Nothing now. We'll figure it out.'

'So what am I supposed to do? I can't avoid him forever.' Bonnie screeched.

She heard Caroline's phone chime once, signaling that someone sent her a message and watched as she picked it up from the table in front of them. 'I don't know but I do know that there's a party tonight at Whitmore and we're going.'

'Care-' Bonnie whined.

'No whining!' Caroline stood up and crossed her arms. 'You need a break.'

'But what if-'

'I'll be there,' Caroline held up her hand to stop her protests as she turned and walked out of the room. 'You have 45 minutes.'

* * *

Bennett-Salvatore

* * *

'Bonnie, come on!' Caroline shouted up the stairs. 'Time to go!'

Bonnie growled in frustration as she stared at herself in the mirror. She should be doing more research, reading more grimoires, finding a supernatural godmother; yet, here she was, attempting to get her hair as straight as possible while adding what makeup she could to bring life back into her dull, jade eyes.

'I'm coming!' She took another sip of the blood bag in front of her and applied another coat of the, fitting, red lipstick. She took one final look at herself in the mirror and decided that, that was as good as it was going to get for the night. She pulled at the bottom of the black, strapless, skin-tight dress and ran her fingers through her hair before yelling back at Caroline. 'I actually have ten more minutes.'

'Bonnie Bennett.'

'Here I come, damn it.' Bonnie rolled her eyes, grabbed her heels from the floor and her phone from the bed before rushing down the stairs. 'Are you happy now?' She said as she flopped down on the sofa, putting her shoes on. 'Do heels become less uncomfortable as a vampire?'

Caroline looked Bonnie up and down. 'Oh la la, hot mama.'

Bonnie blushed and stood up, putting her arms inside of her black, leather jacket. 'Don't do that.'

'I'm just saying!' Caroline intertwined her arm with Bonnie's. 'Tonight's going to be fun!'

'Until I latch on to someone's jugular like a pit bull.'

'You're not! Trust me, Bon.'

'You're right. I need to get out. I can't be shut in the library for the rest of my very long life.'

'Woo!' Caroline cheered at her side, grabbing her keys and marching them towards the front door. 'That's what I like to hear! Now, let's go. And no, the only thing that will help you in those heels tonight is liquor and lots of it.'

'Caroline,' Bonnie whined as she followed Caroline through the crowd, struggling to keep up. Caroline had been right; not even vampirism helped ease the pain of her heels. 'Stop walking so damned fast.'

'Keep up, Bennett. I'm on the prowl for drinks.'

Bonnie sighed. 'What a coincidence, you know that boy who grabbed my hand back there? I almost bit into him.'

Caroline turned to Bonnie. 'You're not hungry. You just want to feed because you sense blood. This is where control comes in, convince yourself that you're not hungry.'

Bonnie thought about what Caroline said for a moment before repeating the words. 'I'm not hungry.'

'You're not,' Caroline smiled. 'Loosen up and don't overthink this.

She grabbed Bonnie's hand, leading her over to two stools at a make-shift bar. When they sat down, the bartender smiled at them both, his eyes lingering a bit on Bonnie, before yelling over the music. 'What are you two ladies having tonight?'

Caroline grinned at the man. 'Two Crown & Cokes and two shots of tequila.'

'Coming right up.'

The bartender moved to turn his back to the pair but Bonnie stopped him, looking him directly in the eye. 'Scratch that. Give me the entire bottle of Patron.'

His eyebrow lifted in curiosity as he smirked at Bonnie. 'The entire bottle? You sure you can handle that?'

'How about you find out?' Bonnie winked, handing him the money.

'I'd love to.'

Caroline leaned over and elbowed Bonnie. 'You're flirting.'

'What can it hurt?' Bonnie shrugged.

After bottle number two, Bonnie felt invincible. She climbed on top of the bar as the sound of the Weeknd's Party Monster blasted through the speakers and her body became one with the beat. She felt herself coming alive as people cheered around her.

Caroline tapped her leg, urging her to come down from the bar. 'We see who's had enough to drink.'

Bonnie bent down to Caroline's level. 'I'm just getting started.'

'You were just getting started over an hour ago. Come on before Damon kills me.'

'Damon?' Bonnie searched the crowd for his face, suddenly being overly aware of his presence. She could lame the liquor for not sensing him earlier but wherever he was, his eyes were on her. She could feel them. She found him, those blue orbs of his were fixed on her body as he brought a glass of brown liquid to his lips. He was drinking again, she smirked. He stood there, immobile with Stefan by his side talking animatedly.

When their eyes met, the corner of his mouth twisted up into a smile and he held up his glass, sending a chill down her spine. Caroline's question from earlier came to mind.

Was she in love with Damon Salvatore?

She felt herself losing balance as she fell from the bar and into someone's arms.

She clutched at the person's arms and realized that it was a man. 'Are you okay?' He asked, standing Bonnie upright and taking a step back.

She ran a hand down her dress and tugged at the bottom before looking up at the man in front of her and losing her train of thought altogether. He was beautiful. Caramel skin that matched the tone of hers and a smile that she was sure could make any girl drop her panties. She couldn't help but to smile back. 'Thank you-'

'Marcel.' He took Bonnie's hand, kissing it as she blushed. 'Marcel Gerard and you must be Bonnie Bennett.'

She snatched her hand away from his grip. 'How do you know me?'

'The supernatural world talks.' He laughed as he motioned towards the bar. 'Sit and we'll talk.'

'I don't think so.' Caroline took a step forward in to the space between Marcel and Bonnie. 'What do you want with her?'

'And you must be Caroline? Klaus sends his love.'

'Klaus?' She screeched. 'What does he want?'

'She's the first vampire-witch hybrid. You know how he is about his hybrids and he wants her.'

Bonnie's body tensed at his words. She looked back to where Damon and Stefan stood moments before and saw no one.

'Caroline, get Bonnie out of here.' She heard Stefan's voice before she felt Damon's presence directly in front of her like a shield. Caroline grabbed Bonnie's arm but she shrugged out of her hold, refusing to move. Who was this man and what did Klaus want with her?'

'Ah, the Salvatore brothers,' Marcel laughed. 'I was wondering when I would see you two.'

'What are you doing here, Marcel?'

'Klaus sent me to retrieve the Bennett hybrid and I'm sure you know why.'

Caroline rolled her eyes, 'You can tell Klaus that I said she is not going anywhere. Especially not to become his witch-pire.'

'Now, Caroline, you of all people should know that once Klaus has his mind or his eyes on something, he's not going to stop until he gets it.' He smiled once again as his eyes fell on Bonnie.

Damon noticed the way Marcel gazed at Bonnie and clenched his fists at his side, 'If he wants her, tell him to come and get her his damned self but he will go through me and I don't plan on fighting fair.'

'Leave, Marcel.' Stefan said.

Marcel ran a hand over his beard, laughing. 'I'll relay the message but I'm not so sure of how he will take but until next time, Bonnie Bennett.'

Marcel turned and got lost in the chaotic crowd of party-goers as Bonnie released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and felt Damon's hand on her lower back. 'Come. Now.'

'Where are we going?' Bonnie struggled to keep up to his pace as he moved through the crowd towards the front door. 'And can you stop walking so fast?'

'Who in the hell would give you two bottles of Patron?' He spat, opening the door and leading her in to the cool, fall air as Stefan and Caroline followed. 'And where the fuck are your clothes?'

Bonnie's hands flew to her face. 'My jacket! I left it in the club.'

'Leave it!' He pulled off his own jacket and handed it to her.

'But Damon-' She stomped her heeled foot against the concrete.

'Two bottles,' He kissed his teeth. 'You're not good for shit drunk.'

'How do you know I had two bottles anyway?' Bonnie rolled her eyes. 'You've been here all night.'

'Do you think that I would send you out in to the world with Blondie all by yourself?' Caroline shot Bonnie an apologetic pout as she continued towards the car with her head down.

'Throw me your keys, Stefan.'

'But I rode with Care.'

'And you're riding home with me,' Damon answered, catching Stefan's keys and opening the passenger door of the blood red Porsche. 'Get in.'

'Where are you going to take her?' Stefan asked.

'I can't take her to the boarding house, that's the first place Klaus will come.'

Bonnie rolled her eyes, listening to the two brothers talk over as if she wasn't standing there. 'Can I suggest?'

'Not now, Bennett.'

'Asshole.' Bonnie mumbled, sliding into the passenger seat after blowing Caroline a kiss. She placed his jacket over her shoulders and immediately felt comfort. She was nowhere near sober but the smell of him made her think clearly. She clutched the jacket close to her body while waiting for Damon to enter the car. Moments later, Damon slipped into the driving seat and glanced at Bonnie before starting the car and pulling off.

'Where are we going?' Bonnie asked.

Damon hesitated before answering. 'Do you know any spells that you can use so that we won't be tracked?'

Bonnie thought for a moment, or at least tried to, before shaking her head no. 'I can't think of anything now.'

'I knew I should've snapped that bartender's neck.'

Bonnie's eyes widened and snapped to the driver's seat. 'Why?'

'You were only drinking to prove a damned point and besides-' Damon grew silent before mumbling. 'He wanted to fuck you.'

'And what's so bad about that?'

'Not now, Bon.'

'Whatever,' She rolled her eyes and let her seat back. 'Where are we going, Damon?'

'To the boarding house to get some clothes, blood, and make a game plan then you and I are going to your Grams' house for her grimoires before we hit the road.'

'To where?'

'Away. I'll tell you in an hour when you're sober.'

Bonnie frowned at his tone, noting that he was being extremely dry with her. She let her seat up and looked at him. 'I'm sorry but who pissed in your bourbon?'

'It's been a week since I've seen you,' Damon bit out. 'You completely shut me out and then you decide to go out and dance on table tops with Blondie. What the hell, Bon?'

'I'm sorry, Damon. I just needed some time.'

'I bet you did.'

For some reason, the thought of Damon being upset with her didn't sit too well and the way he was gripping the steering wheel as if to keep himself contained sent a warm feeling to the pit of Bonnie's stomach and she wanted to do nothing but climb over into his lap and kiss his anger away. But why?

She shook the thoughts out of head and turned her attention to the passenger side window.

She was in love with Damon Salvatore.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** I'm sorry that it took so long for me to update! I started a new job last week and school has been kicking my ass :( Thanks for the reviews! As always, I appreciate them so much lovelies! And if you follow this, please review and let me know what you think!

I know it's been a while since we've heard from present-day Bonnie and Damon, so let's see what's goings on. Brace yourselves.

* * *

Bonnie stepped out of the shower, wrapped Damon's towel around her svelte frame, inhaled his cologne and relaxed in its caress before wiping the stray tears from her cheeks and making her way into the bedroom that they shared.

Dr. Smith left more than four hours ago, leaving Bonnie alone with her thoughts and agreeing that it would be best if she returned within a week to check on the couple's progress, which Bonnie knew would be little to none. It was already a quarter past midnight with no sign of Damon.

She dropped the towel, sighing as it pooled around her feet and reached into his drawer, grabbing one of his signature black V-necks and slipping it on. She ran her fingers along the staircase, counting each step as she made her way down them, towards the bar and poured a glass of bourbon. 'This should do for tonight.' She murmured to herself, throwing the liquid back, not even wincing as the liquor burned the back of her throat. Compared to the pain she was in, the burn of the dark whiskey seemed minuscule. She poured another glass before returning to her bedroom and sliding between the dark sheets. She took another look at her pone, hoping that there would be a missed call or text from her husband; she frowned when she found none. That was a bad sign.

It wasn't unusual for them to walk away from each other during a heated argument but this felt completely different. Usually, when one of them walked out in anger it was with the unspoken understanding that they would return but now, she wasn't so sure. There was no promise in the wind because she had broken her own promise to always be honest with him and it made her feel like shit. Like a villain.

Closing her eyes, she focused on the connection they shared. It was so strong, so potent, she couldn't explain it. Even miles away, she could feel him. Anger. Rage. Sadness. Emotions seeped from him and into her consciousness as she pushed harder until she felt - nothing. He kicked her out, blocking her from venturing into his mind, from feeling his pain. He was hiding from her.

Picking up the phone, she decided to call him instead. The phone rung five times and just as Bonnie was about to give up and disconnect the line, he answered. 'Damon Salvatore's phone.'

'You answered.' Those weren't the words that she intended to say but her mouth was moving at a faster pace than her mind. She was surprised that he even answered the phone after severing their connection.

'I didn't check the caller ID,' He slurred. 'Note to self, block from mind and phone.'

Was he drunk? 'When are you coming home?'

'That's for me to know and you not to worry about.' Yep. He was drunk.

'Damon, it's after midnight. We need to talk.'

'You've done enough talking for today?'

She heard a woman's voice in the background followed by the sound of an obnoxious laugh and sat up in the bed, switching the lamp on. Damon was crazy, yes but he wasn't crazy - or bold - enough to cheat on her. Was he? 'Where are you?'

'Relax, Miss. Bennett,' His laugh was almost as obnoxious as the woman in the background. 'Can I have some time to think? I believe that I deserve, at the least, time.'

Bonnie winced at the use of her maiden name and took a deep breath. 'I am sorry, Damon. I should've told you from the beginning. I just-'

'- I left home to avoid this conversation. Don't make all of my drunken efforts for naught, Bon.'

'I just need you to know, Damon. I never meant to hurt you. I didn't think-'

'You're right!' His voice rose before he cleared his throat and continued. 'You didn't think. We are bonded, Bonnie. You are literally my other half, the piece that completes me, and you hid this from me for how long? Three years?'

'And do you see why I didn't tell you?'

'Bonnie, how could you-' His voice broke and Bonnie felt herself crumbling with it. 'What would I have if something happened to you?'

And then it clicked. He wasn't mad that her plan left Elena dead or even that she hid that information from him; he was mad that she planned to kill herself in the first place. There was a stifling ache in her throat as she managed to choke back a sob, unable to speak. 'Damon, come home.'

'If you would've died, Bonnie I-I wouldn't have been able to go on. I would've burned the world down looking for a way to get you back. I would've lost my damned mind. Did that not matter to you?'

'Of course, it mattered, Damon-'

'You mean the world to me. You are my world, Bonnie. Don't you understand that? You are it for me.' He bit out, one word slurred into the next.

'I know, baby. You mean the same to me and I'm so sorry that I hid this from you for so long. Please, come home so we can talk.' She heard the woman's laugh again, this time closer than the last and she frowned. 'Who is that?'

'Bonnie, Bonnie, Bonnie,' He slurred before whispering. 'Mio prezioso amore.'

'Damon, come home.'

'I can't be around you right now, Bonnie. I'm sorry.' Damon stated simply before disconnecting the call. Bonnie growled, throwing her phone against the wall and running frustrated hands through her hair as she began to sob freely.

* * *

 **Bennett-Salvatore**

* * *

'How about you come back to my place?' The brunette whispered, pressing her breasts against his shoulder no sooner than he had hung up the phone. He shuddered under the woman's touch as his wife's small, gentle hands came to mind, causing a wave a guilt to rush through his veins.

'No, thank you.' He turned from the woman and motioned for the bartender to refill his glass. 'Another one.'

The bartender, an older woman with fire-red hair, hesitated a moment, holding the bottle of bourbon to her chest and eyeing him suspiciously. 'I'm cutting you off, Blue. That was your tenth glass.'

'I didn't ask you that, mother.' Damon growled and leaned closer to the woman, examining her name tag. Laurelle. Not only did she favor Lillian, her name was too close for comfort. 'Look, Laurie. I've had a bad day. Give me the damned bottle and let me vent.'

Laurelle, clearly compelled, stared at Damon for a moment before opening and closing her mouth in confusion. She grabbed the bottle of bourbon and sat it in front of him. He offered her a weak smile before taking the bottle from the table and refilling his glass. 'That's a good girl. Now, let me tell you about my wife. My beautiful, idiotic, selfless, wife.' Damon slurred, watching the amber liquid settle in his glass. 'She's so- Bonnie.'

Laurelle smiled. 'Is that her name?'

'Fitting, right?'

'I was thinking something along the lines of Beautiful, Idiotic, or Selfless.'

'Those are her middle names.'

Laurelle laughed but continued to listen, wiping the bar as she continued to probe. 'And what did this wife of yours do? Cheat on you with your brother?'

'That's ironic but no,' He laughed. 'She did something so- maddening and lied to me about it. Can you believe it? For three years, she's lied. Even had my brother in on it.'

'Harsh.' Laurelle leaned against the bar, motioning for him to continue.

An hour and two bottles of bourbon later, Damon was too drunk to even remember why he was at the bar but he was burning for the comfort of a woman's touch. All reservations he held before his second bottle disappeared and a determination fueled by pain had taken the place of guilt.

He didn't even flinch as he threw back the last of the liquid and stood up from the bar, placing a one-hundred-dollar bill where he sat. The corner of his mouth ticked up as he turned to the woman that had been staring at him across the bar all night. She was beautiful. Her lips were as full as her breasts and painted red. She bore a black, leather mini-skirt with heels higher than his IQ at the moment and he couldn't look away.

Logic should've stepped in.

Hell, God should've stepped in but Damon was too far gone.

His eyes drifted to her neck and then back to her lips. 'What's your name?'

She smiled back. 'Whatever you need it to be.'

* * *

 **Bennett-Salvatore**

* * *

Bonnie sat, knees to chest, in the middle of the bed, waiting for any signs of Damon. The night had come and gone, the sun was beginning to come up as she glanced at the clock on her nightstand, checking the time.

6:36 AM.

'Don't overreact, Bonnie. He's probably at the boarding house or Ric's.' She whispered to calm herself. She talked herself out of using magic to find him once he severed their connection and calling Stefan to check the boarding house just seemed so selfish, so she decided to wait it out.

Sleep wouldn't come to her, not when she was use to the safety of his arms wrapped around her every night. Even when they weren't together, his arms had always been the ones to calm her. He was her comfort zone and without him there, she had no choice but to watch the clock.

6:41 AM.

She growled in frustration. Five minutes. 'Really?'

She exhaled heavily before she crawled out of bed, tiptoeing over to her now cracked iPhone and dialed Stefan who, luckily, picked up on the second ring.

'Bonnie?' He questioned, his voice laced with sleep and Bonnie instantly felt bad. She wanted to hang up, roll over, and die. 'What's wrong? Are you okay?'

'I'm fine,' She lied. 'Were you asleep?'

'You're calling at six in the morning, of course not,' Stefan chuckled and she could hear him whispering to Caroline in the background. 'Caroline says good morning.'

'Tell her that I'm going to call her in a second,' Bonnie sighed. 'I'm sorry for waking you.'

'It's no problem. What's up?'

'Have you spoken to Damon or is he there?'

'I haven't spoken to him since yesterday and I haven't heard anyone come in. What's wrong?'

'Nothing.' She exhaled, crossing the boarding house off the list and trying to remember Ric's new phone number.

'Bonnie.'

'Seriously, it's nothing, Stef. Just an argument.'

He sighed. 'Either you can tell me or I can get Caroline on the line and she can worry you to death.'

'Oh, Stefan. You know you're the worrier in your relationship.'

'True,' He laughed. 'Now tell me what happened.'

'He left during out counseling session and hasn't been home since.'

'Have you tried calling him?'

'Yeah and I spoke to him.'

'Is he okay?'

'He was at some bar getting drunk off his ass to avoid me and while I was trying to get him to come home, there was a girl in the background. Do you think he would—'

'He wouldn't.' Stefan interjected. Stefan knew that Damon was capable of a lot of things, especially when provoked, but hurting Bonnie was something that he couldn't see his brother doing.

'I hurt him, Stef,' She sighed. 'I really, really hurt him this time.'

'I doubt that it's something that can't be worked out.'

'I told him.'

Stefan didn't have to ask Bonnie what she was talking about because he already knew. He figured Damon would find out soon but he hoped that his elder brother would take it better than expected. Clearly, he was wrong to hope so. 'Bonnie—'

'I feel horrible—' Bonnie heard Damon's car pulling in to the driveway followed by the sound of his car door closing and shot to her feet. 'He's home.'

'Do you need us to come over?' Stefan asked, concern evident in his voice.

'No. Tell Caroline that I'll call her later. Thanks for answering, Stef but this is my mess and I will fix it.'

Bonnie disconnected the call and made her way to the bottom of the stairs just as Damon was opening the door to come in. The cool morning air hit her bare arms and legs, and she crossed her arms over her chest to keep warm. 'Where have you been?'

Damon hadn't noticed Bonnie standing at the base of the staircase so the question caught him completely off-guard. He stumbled for a second before looking up at her. The moment he looked at her face, the guilt he pushed to the back of his mind came rushing forward. He couldn't tell her the truth, he decided that in the car, it'll kill her and possibly him, so he decided to lie. 'The boarding house.'

'You're lying. Where were you last night, Damon?' She stepped on to the floor in front of him and walked over to where he stood, examining him carefully. Her fists clenched as the unfamiliar scent of cheap perfume filled her nostrils and her stomach turned as she noticed the trace of lipstick beneath his ear and on the corner of his mouth. She shook her head in denial, voice cracking a bit and lifting an accusatory finger. 'You didn't.'

Damon shifted his weight from one foot to the next, unsure of what to tell her. 'Bon, come on-'

'You spent the night with another woman.'

'Listen to me, I can explain.' He rushed, taking a step towards her.

She moved out of his reach, the anger she hid no evident in her features. 'Don't touch me!' Bonnie turned and ran up the stairs, two by two, straight into the bedroom where she pulled one of her suitcases from their closet.

'Bonnie, what are you doing?' He questioned, following her closely.

The smell of perfume was becoming overwhelming, making it harder for her to breathe as she threw whatever she could get her hands on inside of the suitcase. The knot in her throat was doubling in size and she felt like she was suffocating. She needed to get away from him. She felt herself breaking but she needed to hold it together, at least until she got out of the house. If she broke now, Damon would be the one to put her back together and she couldn't let that happen. Not now.

'Stop!' Damon growled, grabbing her arm and pulling her body towards his.

Bonnie snatched out of his grasp and sent a wave of energy towards him that sent him flying into their bedroom wall 'Don't. Touch. Me.' She bit out every word, each one laced with more venom than the last.

Struggling to stand, he attempted to take another step towards her and couldn't. He was paralyzed, her magic cementing him to the floor beneath him and locking his joints. Now he was having a hard time breathing, he felt like she was crushing his lungs. He noticed the veins beginning to protrude from beneath her eyes. 'Bonnie, please-' He felt the hurt and rage seeping from her consciousness into his and realized that she had knocked down the wall keeping her out. 'Listen to me, please.'

'How could you, Damon?'

'I didn't do- It's not what you think, I promise. I fed from her and that was it.'

'You are covered in her perfume, Damon!' Bonnie screeched. 'You have lipstick on the corner of your mouth and your collar. Do you think that I'm stupid?'

'I didn't cheat, Bonnie!'

She scoffed. 'This is a new low, Damon. Even for you.'

'I'm low? You've been hiding the biggest secret from me for three years and I'm the only wrong one in this? Fuck that! Yes, I lied about being at the boarding house but let's not forget the reason that I was even out in the first place. You've been lying for years. You're the reason that-' He screwed his mouth shut.

'Sat it, Damon.'

Damon closed his eyes and bowed his head. 'I'm sorry.'

'I'm the reason that Elena's dead. I've had to live with that every day for the past three years and I couldn't even tell you, my best friend,' She choked out. 'I've hated myself for this. I've beat myself up over it but not anymore.'

'I didn't mean it, Bonnie- I-'

'Yes, you did but it happened, Damon. I can't take it back and I don't regret it. I don't regret choosing you.' She took a step towards him and put her finger against his chest. 'I don't regret sacrificing myself for you. You were my best friend.'

Damon grew quiet, staring at his wife, suddenly unable to formulate a coherent sentence. 'Can you listen to me for a moment? I didn't cheat. Please, let's talk.'

'I tried to talk to you last night and you didn't even have the decency to come home!' Bonnie tugged a pair of sweat pants up her legs and ran her trembling fingers through her hair, putting it into a ponytail. 'Want to know how I know that you weren't at the boarding house? I checked. I couldn't sleep without you here and I was willing to go there and work things out but now?' Bonnie chuckled.

'I'm here, Bonnie. Talk to me.'

Bonnie's fists clenched at her side and Damon felt his throat tightening. 'What's done is done.' She let Damon's throat go and he felt his entire body relax and go limp as he fell to the floor, gasping for air. 'I'm leaving and I hope that whatever bitch you spent the night with has a big enough trash can for the both of your garbage asses. When I come back, you and your shit need to be out.'

'No!' Damon wheezed, struggling to get to his feet. 'You can't leave me, Bonnie!'

'Goodbye, Damon.' She said pulling the ring from her finger and placing it on to the bed. She walked over to where he stood and placed both hands on his chest before whispering. ' _Sleep_.' And watching him fall in a heap to the floor.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** This chapter is going to be short so let me apologize in advance! I'm going to TRY to update more by the end of the week. I honestly just wanted to get this part out so that I can continue with them in the past without giving too much away, lol. Once again, thanks for the reviews, lovelies and enjoy.

* * *

If Bonnie never heard Beyoncé's voice again, it would be too soon. Every time his name filled the digital screen on her dashboard, On the Run would blast through her speakers and after the thirtieth time, she regretted ever setting it for that bastard. It had been a little over an hour since she left him on the floor in their home and so far, she had no idea of where to go but the boarding house was off-limits. There was an iron-clad block in place between them, locking him out of her mind and unable to locate her but she knew that the boarding house would be the first place he went.

When thirty seconds passed without her phone vibrating in her lap, she sighed in relief but the incessant buzz returned and this time, Sweet Caroline blared through the speakers and Caroline's name replaced his. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before pressing the answer button on the steering wheel. Before she could speak, Caroline's shrill voice filled her ears. 'Bon, what's going on? Damon said that he can't find you.'

'Because he can't.'

'He won't tell us what's going on but she's making it seem like we need to assemble a full-blown search party for you. What happened?'

Bonnie rolled her eyes. 'I told Damon everything,' Caroline gasped. 'He slept with another woman and I left him.'

The phone went silent for a moment and Bonnie tensed, ready for the fall out. 'When you say slept with another woman, do you mean-'

'I mean that he slept with the woman and I didn't ask for details because I didn't care.'

'I'm going to cut his dick off!' She screeched. 'I'm going to kill him.'

'Caroline, please don't make things worse than what they are. I'm fine.'

'You're fine? Your husband slept with another woman. You're not okay and I'm on the way to you right now. Where are you?'

'Caroline-'

'Tell me where to come and I'll be there within the next thirty minutes.'

Bonnie sighed. 'You can't, Caroline. He'll just follow you, he's probably on the way to the boarding house right now.'

'Fuck him! Where are you going to go, Bonnie?'

Bonnie still had no idea. When she left her home, it was because she needed to get away from Damon and fast but she hadn't planned too far ahead and frankly, she hadn't planned on evacuating her home at the drop of a dime. 'I've been driving around in circles for an hour and I still haven't figured that part out. It's just too much, Care.' Her voice broke.

'Don't worry about it. I'll take you to my family's cabin and you can stay as long as you need.'

'Caroline, you don't have to. I don't want to put you and Stefan in the middle.'

'I'm your best friend, Bonnie. I have to. I'm going to grab some blood bags and some wine, and we're going to order pizza and figure this out. Okay?'

Bonnie felt herself smiling through her tears. 'Okay.'

* * *

 **Bennett-Salvatore**

* * *

'Stefan!' Damon growled, as he threw the front door to the boarding house open and stepped inside. 'Get down here, brother.'

'She's not here, Damon.' Stefan said, walking into the foyer where his elder brother stood.

'I can't feel her. I can't- I can't even feel her anymore.' Damon said, pacing the floor like a caged animal ready to strike.

'Calm down, Damon. What's going on?'

'What's going on is that your brother is a spineless piece of shit,' Caroline sped down the stairs and into Damon's face. 'How fucking dare you?'

'Blondie, I'm not in the mood. Have you spoken to her?'

'Yes, and she sent you a message.' Damon felt himself perking up before Caroline slapped him so hard that his neck almost snapped. Stefan sped between the two, facing Caroline. 'Caroline!'

'Fuck him! I hope he chokes on vervain.'

'What's going on?'

'She left.' Damon bit out, holding his jaw.

'Tell him why she left, Damon. Tell him what you did.'

'I didn't do anything!' Damon yelled. 'I didn't do anything and that's the problem. She doesn't believe me and she left me.'

'Oh, yeah and where were you last night?' Caroline asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

'That's none of your damned business, Blondie.' Damon growled, clenching his fists at his side.

'Where were you last night, Damon?' Stefan asked, turning to face his brother. 'And tell me the truth.'

He hesitated for a moment. 'I met a girl at the bar last night. She wasn't Bonnie pretty but she was alright after three bottles of bourbon-'

'Damon!'

'Alright!' He sighed, holding his hands up in defeat. 'I was just so... mad at her that I got as drunk as possible and then left with the girl-'

Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose. 'What the hell have you done?'

Caroline shook her head before grabbing her purse and keys. 'He did what Damon Salvatore is known for. He got mad and threw a tantrum like the child he is.'

'I didn't cheat!' He pleaded. 'I fed on the girl and fell asleep in her box of an apartment but I didn't touch her. I promise. I couldn't- I wouldn't do that to Bonnie.'

'And are we supposed to believe you? You've fucked up, Damon and you deserve this.'

If he didn't believe that killing Caroline would break his brother's heart and push him further into the dog house with Bonnie, he would've ripped her heart from her chest at that very moment. Bonnie was his wife, his mate, and he couldn't feel her and couldn't find her. Their connection was so strained that he was afraid if he pulled too hard, he'd severe it completely, but Caroline was right. He deserved this. 'Can you just tell her that I love her. Please.'

Caroline eyed him for a moment before giving Stefan a kiss and walking out of the house. Stefan sighed and walked back into the living room, closing the copy of Jane Eyre that lay open on the table and turning to his brother. 'What are you going to do?'

For the first time in his life, Damon was stumped. 'I have no clue.'

* * *

 **Bennett-Salvatore**

* * *

Bonnie stared, blankly, into the abyss at the bottom of the coffee mug she clutched tightly as she slipped deeper and deeper into her equally dark thoughts. After speaking with Caroline and agreeing to meet her at the Forbes' cabin, she decided that the small, but conveniently located on the outskirts of Mystic Falls, cafe would be the perfect place to wait for her best friend's call and collect her thoughts.

The sound of tapping drew Bonnie from her thoughts and into reality. She lifted her left hand from the mug, eyeing the culprit of the incessant sound. The spot where her wedding ring and band once sat felt- naked. She rubbed the spot where her skin had lightened in color and sighed. She couldn't seem to wrap her mind around how fast things changed.

Yesterday morning, she was Bonnie Bennett-Salvatore, wife of Damon Salvatore, her best friend and the love of her life. She was happy, unbelievably happy, and she was in love.

Today, she was hurting.

She was still in love with her husband but an immense pain had taken place of the happiness she once felt.

I didn't cheat, he said. Believe me, he said, covered from head to toe in the scent of another woman. He lied directly to her face and for that, she couldn't forgive him, she couldn't believe him. Not when she had already forgiven him for so much.

Did he think that she wouldn't notice?

Did he forget the bond that they shared? That his scent was once the catalyst to drive her off the cliff and into his arms? Did he forget that they shared the same heart?

* * *

 **Three-Years Earlier.**

* * *

'This shouldn't take long..' Bonnie said, unlocking the front door to her Gram's house. She moved to the side, holding the door open and motioning for Damon to come in. He eyed her for a moment, causing a blush to rise in her cheeks before brushing past her into the living room of the house.

'Grab and go.' Damon spat, peeking out of the curtains to make sure that they weren't being followed by Marcel or another one of Klaus' minions. 'There's no telling what Klaus has planned and we only have a short window of time to move.'

Bonnie looked up from her Gram's book shelf and to where he stood, rolling her eyes. 'You don't have to protect me, Damon.'

'Oh, yeah? Then who will?' He asked, turning to face her.

'If I'm as powerful as everyone thinks I am, I think that I can handle myself.'

'And that's your first mistake,' He said, walking to where she stood and grabbing the tattered grimoire from her hand. 'You don't even know how to harness that power, Bon. You'll be dead or in Klaus' regime before morning.'

'You're so overdramatic.'

'And if I wasn't there tonight, what would you have done?' He asked, flipping through the grimoire nonchalantly.

'Probably gotten drunker and went home with some fine specimen for a little feed and fuck.'

Damon eyes widened and he scoffed, earning a laugh from Bonnie. 'Like hell you would!'

'Calm down, father Salvatore. I'm just kidding!' She chuckled, still searching for another one of her family's grimoires. 'I can take care of myself.'

'Is that why you've been avoiding me since that night at the Grille?' He questioned.

'I haven't been avoiding you-'

'I know when Bonnie Bennett is being elusive and you, my dear Bonnie Bennett, have been giving me the cold shoulder.'

'I don't recall.'

'Somebody was the favorite grandchild.' He said, glancing around the room at the pictures of young Bonnie. 'Why were so many of your teeth missing?'

'I know that you were a child like a thousand years ago, but that's what happens to children.' Bonnie rolled her eyes. 'And I wasn't the favorite, I was the only grandchild.'

'I know that.' Damon said as he picked up a picture of a smiling Bonnie in the eighth grade. 'You don't look that different.'

Bonnie found the grimoire she had been looking for and handed it to him. 'I had braces, glasses, and bad acne. I definitely look different.'

'If you say so, BonBon.' Damon looked up at Bonnie and smirked, picturing her with the black, thick rimmed glasses she had on in the picture. 'Ready to go?'

'I just need to change and I'll be ready to go.'

'Bonnie-'

'Just five minutes, Damon. You won't tell me where we're going and if I'm in for a night of riding, I want to be comfortable.' Bonnie bent down to take off her heels. 'You could help me.'

'If you wanted me to touch your legs, Bon all you had to do was ask.'

She looked up at him and smirked. 'I wouldn't mind.'

Damon eyes widened and followed Bonnie's hands as they ran down her legs and to the tie around her ankles. 'What?'

'It was a joke,' She chuckled, sitting the heels next to the sofa and standing straight up. 'We all know that you're Delena forever.'

Except for the fact that Bonnie wasn't joking. She was literally fighting the urge to climb on top of Damon and ride him into the sunset. The feelings from the car and the conversation with Care earlier, plus the amount of Patron consumed wasn't doing anything to help Bonnie's feelings remain hidden.

'Delena, huh? He smiled weakly. 'I've never heard that one. Sounds like something she would say.'

Bonnie forced a smile, the thought of Elena like a bucket of cold water being poured over her head. 'She's the one who coined it.'

'I can believe it.'

She frowned at his tone. 'Wanna talk?'

'I'm fine, Bon.' He chuckled. 'She'd want me to be happy and to live, that's what I'm going to do but I need to make sure that you're alright first.'

'You don't have to postpone your happiness for me, Damon.'

'I'm not.' He said, simply. 'I'm where I'm supposed to be right now and it's okay. Now, hurry up and change. We're on a time limit.'

'Okay.' She smiled, genuinely this time. 'Do you think you can help me with my dress?' She asked, turning her back to Damon and flipping her hair over her shoulder.

'If I would've known that I just had to be a sap to get you naked, I would've done it years ago.' He smirked and moved closer to where she stood.

Har-har!' Bonnie closed her eyes as she felt Damon's hands on her zipper. 'You're disgusting.'

'It's nothing that I haven't seen.' Damon whispered, his face on the side of hers as he unzipped her dress to the small of back, directly above the lace thong she bore.

'By accident!' She shot back, turning to face him. 'You snuck into my room!'

'How was I supposed to know that you slept naked?'

Bonnie's felt her cheeks heating up. 'I'm going to go get changed.' She turned to walk up the stairs but the feeling of Damon's hand on her arm stopped her and a shock followed, causing him to pull his hand back.

'What was that?' He asked, confused.

Bonnie looked at the spot on her arm and could still feel his lingering touch. It caused a tingling sensation to pass from the top of her head to the pit of her stomach. 'I-I don't know.'

Damon moved closer to her and eyed her suspiciously. 'Did you feel that?'

'Feel what?'

'You shocked me!'

'I did not!' Bonnie played innocent.

'What's going on, Bennett? It's not like you run off when I make inappropriate banter as if I'm not the king of inappropriate.'

She could barely breathe because of how close he was to her right now. She opened her mouth to say more but all she could do was whisper. 'Nothing.' She cringed at how weak she sounded.

'You're forgetting that I know you.'

'Damon, I'm drunk and going to change. We're pressed for time, remember?'

'You're not that drunk anymore. Perks of being a vampire.'

He was right but she couldn't let him know that the Patron had worn off during their ride to Grams'. 'You don't know that.'

'Oh, but I know you, Bonnie Bennett, and you wouldn't avoid me for a week then dance on a bar at a club, so once again, what's going on in that mind of yours?'

Bonnie needed to get away from him and fast. She looked up at the man that towered over here and could see nothing but the blue of his eyes. 'I can't.'

'You can't what?'

'I just- can't.' She chewed her bottom lip and took a step back but he matched her step. 'Not going to work, Bon. Why have you been avoiding me?'

Bonnie sighed, feeling trapped and defeated. There was no way out of this and for the life of her, she couldn't think of a lie to tell him. 'It's just-'

'It's just-' Damon mimicked. 'Spit it out.'

'I know that it's crazy but I think we're bonded.'

Damon eyes widened for a second before he began to laugh. 'That's not possible.'

'I thought the same thing at first but,' She paused. 'It's like something is drawing me to you.'

'Get naked.' Damon said, bluntly.

'No!' She slapped his arm. 'What the hell, Damon?'

'See!' He threw his hands up in surrender. 'If you were sired to me, you would've did it just to please me or are you forgetting that entire Elena situation.'

'Believe me, I haven't forgotten.' And she hadn't. She hated Elena during that time, it was like she became Damon's pet and that wasn't the case now. 'I don't think it's a sire bond. You don't feel anything?'

Damon paused, patting down his chest and his thighs before smirking. 'Nothing.'

Bonnie frowned. 'There's only one way to find out.'

'And how is that-'

Damon was cut off by the feeling of Bonnie's full lips upon his. It took him a second to register that his best friend was kissing him but once he did, he reciprocated the kiss and pulled her closer to him. She felt like her entire body was on fire. Her dress fell from her hands and her bare breasts pressed against his clothed chest. A moan slipped from her mouth into his as he pulled away abruptly.

She was frozen, half naked and in shock. Damon turned away from her as she wrapped her arms around herself and pulled her dress up over her breasts. 'Damon, I-I...'

He shook his head, walking towards the front door. 'Hurry up and get changed. I'll be in the car.'


End file.
